Lost Love
by Xarilyn
Summary: [What A Girl Wants] What happens when Daphne marries Ian and has a child, but dies during childbirth? How would her son cope? (What A Boy Wants)
1. Default Chapter

**Rating: **PG-13 perhaps?

**Disclaimer: **Recgonizable, which in this chapter I don't think so, not mine. Not familiar? They're mine. Thanks

**Summary:** After the whole big trip to London to search for her father, Daphne returned to America happily, with two new findings - a doting father, and a loving boyfriend, Ian. Then they got married, and even had a child. But unfortunately, Daphne died during childbirth. Was her son going to go through what she had gone through during her childhood? What would her son grow up to be, if he was motherless? Would he be able to accept the fact? And how would he cope with it?

**A/N:** I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. :) Merry Christmas, everyone!

And onto the story!

* * *

Prologue

The trees swayed slightly in the breeze and the leaves rustled. A young boy was trudging home from school, dragging his feet.

Rylan turned round the corner and walked down the street. His house was at the far end of the row of houses, and as he walked past house after house, he could not help glancing at his friends in envy.

Amber was helping her mother, planting onion bulbs and daffodils in the front yard. Carl and his mum were sitting on the swing, she telling him a story. Mike was blowing bubbles of different sizes on the lawn with his mommy. They were all having fun with their mothers.

Rylan could not bear to watch it any longer and broke into a run, sprinting all the way home.

TBC..

Please review! I will update the other chapters soon! Thanks!


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Mabel, Rylan are mine. Daphne and Ian are not.

**A/N: **sundaym0rning Thanks for your suggestion. Hmm... It was an interesting thought and I did apply it. At the end. Thanks for it! I hope you like this chapter. )

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Oh Mabel, won't you play with me?" Rylan pleaded. "Please? I'm bored, and I can't go out to play with my friends because it's raining."

"Oh no, dear, I'm busy. Can't you play with your toy cars? Or your wooden blocks?" The servant suggested as she glanced down at the five-year-old child.

"No, I don't want to. I'm tired of playing with them. Please play with me, Mabel." The boy said as he tugged the young woman's sleeve.

"I'm really sorry, sweetie, but I can't. I've got to tidy up the rooms, go buy the groceries and prepare dinner. Why don't you go play with your puzzles then? Or your other toys?" Mabel knew the child had plenty of toys. They were given by relatives, colleagues of his father and his father himself. Though everyone knows that he has no lack of toys, they still do not fail to bring at least one for him where visiting the Wallaces.

Rylan shook his head and asked, "What about after that? Can you play with me then?"

"After that, it would be dinnertime already, Rylan. And after that I've got to wash the dishes, and then it would be bedtime." Mabel answered as she bent down and pinched the boy's nose lightly. "Now, I'm sure you'll find something that you'd want to play with." She smiled, then left the room, leaving a disappointed Rylan behind.

* * *

He sat on the swing, gazing up at the dark sky which was tinted red from the rain. All was silence. Silence all around him, except for the slight creaking of the swing each centimeter it moved. Everything looked so peaceful… the sky which was doused with a mixture of red and orange seemed to drown out all his sorrows and unhappiness.

How he wished he could soar like those flock of sparrows do… fly with them, and be as carefree as can be. How he wished to be able to look down upon the earth one moment and up at the sky the other. How he wished to flap those tiny wings forever, till the day he found his Momma.

Till the day he found his Momma_… Momma._

* * *

Ian Wallace returned home from work wearily.

Just as he was about to open the front door, he noticed a lone figure sitting on the swing the garden. He could easily recognize the figure from the back.

Setting down his briefcase he strode towards the little boy and plopped down next to him. Taking in a deep breath of fresh air and resting his arm around his little shoulders, he then turned to the child. "My dear chocolate pudding… what are you doing out here?" Fondly he called his son by his nickname and tousled his dark hair.

But Rylan made no movement.

"Rylan?" Ian leaned forward and waved his hand in front of the boy's face. "Rylan?"

Suddenly the child spoke, "It's not fair. It's just not fair." The young child mumbled under his breath. "No, it's not."

"What is not fair?"

"It."

"What is '_It_'?" Ian was on his edge now. he had not a single clue to what his son was talking about. "What are you talking about? Rylan, what are you saying?"

"It's just not fair…" Ian heard a sniff. "All my friends have a Momma to love them, to play with them, but I don't!" Rylan whispered weakly. "It just isn't fair…"

"I –" Ian began to argue, but then clamped his mouth shut. The boy's heart was already shattered, he needed no more. Ian tried in a more soothing tone. "But you still have me, don't you?"

The boy never replied, and Ian gave up.

"Come on, let's go on inside. It's cold out here."

* * *

That night, Ian could not sleep. Rylan's words kept haunting him.

_It's not fair! All my friends have a Momma to love them, to play with them, but I don't!_

He tossed and turned in his bed.

On my own. You are not my friend. I want to play with someone who loves me. Someone who loves me… 

The words kept replaying in his mind.

_Go to sleep._ He scolded himself silently. _Rylan's all right now. He doesn't blame you anymore. What are you worrying about? Just get him a toy or bring him somewhere he likes to go tomorrow. _

"Yeah. I'll just get him what he wants. It'll be fine." He said out loud to calm himself.

But deep down inside, Ian knew very well that a toy or a vacation would not be able to satisfy the boy. He knew what Rylan wants, and what he needs, but was not sure if he could give that to him, like the way he could shower him with toys and gifts.

What Rylan really wants is a mother's love.

* * *

_Ian Wallacewas all tired and weary after a day's work. Seriously he would not mind some good news – no, not at all._

_Pushing the door open, a lady stood up from the couch. Everything after that was a blur, once he heard the four words that made his day: "Honey, I am pregnant."_

_TBC..._


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I know this chapter is quite short. ;PBut I will update soon. Hope you like this!

**Disclaimer: **None belongs to me - for this chapter. Other than the plot.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_He didn't know where he was. There was just a white mist surrounding him. He could see nothing else._

_Just then, he was blinded by a bright white light. He raised his hands to shield his eyes from the light. It was so bright; it was hurting him._

_Then the light dimmed. He could now make out a figure of a woman moving towards him. She was wearing a long white dress; her hair flying high like it would on a windy day. She looked familiar. _

"_Daphne…" He breathed. He could not believe what he was seeing. Or rather, who._

"_Oh Ian…" Daphne murmured. "I missed you." She reached out to caress his cheek._

"_Daphne! Is it really you? Oh my god! I missed you so much!" Ian immediately embraced Daphne. "You came back!"_

"_Yes Ian," Daphne said softly, then let go of Ian. "I missed both you and Rylan too. I've been thinking about you everyday, ever since…" she swallowed, trying to find the right word. "ever since I… left."_

_Ian swallowed hard too. He remembered the day that Daphne had left them; she died during childbirth. And Rylan did not even get the chance to meet his mother. He did not even know how she looked like, because Ian had kept away all of Daphne's belongings, including her pictures, after her death._

"_So, how's Rylan?" Daphne asked, trying to lighten the mood, and also in concern for her son._

_But instead of answering her question, Ian turned away, an unreadable expression on his face._

"_Ian?" Daphne's face was creased with concern. "What happened? Why are you… behaving like that?"_

_Ian shook his head. "Nothing." He didn't want Daphne to worry,_

"_Oh Ian, you were a bad liar five years ago, and obviously you still are now!" Daphne teased. _

_Ian gulped. "It's… It's just that Rylan…"_

"_What about Rylan?" Daphne demanded._

"_He's… he's not really happy lately."_

"_Not happy? About what?" Daphne raised an eyebrow._

"_He… he envies his friends." Ian replied, not sure of what he should say. "He wants a mother's love. He needs it." He suddenly blurted._

_Daphne was taken aback for a few seconds, but she recovered soon and nodded. "Yes. I know. I was been expecting that."_

"_You were?"_

_Daphne nodded. "Yes," she repeated. "Every child needs a mother's love, care and concern. And a father's too."_

_Ian dropped his gaze to what seemed like the ground. He was fully aware of what Ian needed. But he just couldn't give it to him. "I know." He said, looking up. "I've given him all the love I can give. I don't know what to do now."_

_Daphne stared into Ian's eyes for a moment. Then she averted her gaze and replied, "I'm sure you know what to do, Ian. It's obvious."_

_Ian looked surprised. "What's obvious?" He asked, even though he thought he had the slightest idea of what she meant. "What do you mean?"_

"_Give him what he needs, Ian," Daphne told him, still not facing him, "if that's the only way that can make him happy." Then she turned back and looked at him sadly. "I won't mind if he calls another woman 'momma'. If he's happy, I'm happy too." She said, a single tear rolled down her cheek._

"_No, I can't possibly do that!" Ian argued. "I promised I'd stay true to you forever and not love another woman other than you, Daphne, and I'm never going to break that promise!"_

"_But Ian, think about our son. I know you'll stay true to me, and I know you'll love me forever. And I'm contented. But Rylan, I want him to grow up like all his friends, have a happy childhood, do you not understand?" Daphne reasoned. "I know you love me, and I love you too, Ian." Tears were already streaming down her cheeks. "I've got to go now. Remember, I love you." With these words, she faded away._

_TBC..._


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: **This chapter is pretty short too. Even shorter, actually. But hope you will like it all the same!

degrassichick92, my only one Thanks for your reviews!

sundaym0rning hey there! okay, i'm not fishing for compliments or anything, but is it really? gee... thanks! i hope you didn't waste too many tissues (i meant tissue paper)! ;P

**Disclaimer:** For this chapter, Rylan belongs to me. Ian and Daphne do not.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Ian awoke with a jolt.

He panted heavily, thinking. Was it just a dream, or did he really see Daphne?

_No, it's impossible. Daphne's already dead. She can't be here._ He told himself. _But it seemed so real. I touched her. I hugged her. How can that not be true?_

He shook his head, telling himself that it was just his own wishful thinking. Then he switched on the lamp beside his bed, glancing at the clock on the table beside his bed. The digital clock spelt 3:36 AM.

Deciding to get some warm milk to soothe himself, Ian got out of bed and walked down the hallway, but paused outside Rylan's bedroom. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and opened the door. Little streaks of the hallway light fell onto the bed. Rylan was sleeping on his bed, his comforter kicked onto the floor.

Smiling to himself and shaking his head, Ian walked into the room, but jumped back when he heard a 'squeak!' from under his foot. Frowning, he squatted down and picked up a rubber duck. Ian snorted and it was all he could do to prevent him from laughing out. It was only then did he realize that the room was still in the same muddled state that it was as earlier in the evening.

Both sighing and smiling at the same time, Ian treaded across the room and picked up Rylan's comforter. He spread it open and lay it on Rylan, though knowing that some time later in the night the comforter will definitely land on the floor again. Then he quickly placed all the toys in a corner, including the rubber duck, before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Suddenly, Ian didn't feel the need to drink warm milk anymore.

**_TBC..._**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Thanks to **sundaym0rning** who has been my constant supporter! Hee... Have I updated soon enough?

**Disclaimer:** Ian - not mine. The rest, yes. Thank you.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

All the paperwork were scattered haphazardly on the desk; Ian was practically buried behind piles of papers. He was typing furiously on the keyboard, his eyes almost glued to the computer screen.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. "Come in," Ian called, still unable to tear his eyes away from the screen.

"Mr. Wallace?" A female voice said. The voice was sweet, and also familiar to him.

_And that smell? That… that perfume! _Ian thought. Immediately, he looked up from his computer and stared at the woman standing in front of his desk.She was fairly pretty, and had long black hair. But it was her eyes that disturbed him most.

_I know those brown eyes… it's all too similar! And she looks a lot like Daphne too! She even wears that perfume that Daphne liked best!_

He stared at the woman, blinking rapidly. And obviously, the woman was becoming a little uneasy as she shifted from foot to foot. "Um… Mr. Wallace?" She repeated.

Ian jolted out of his own thoughts. "Uh… yes?"

"Well, these are the files that you need to signon, Mr. Wallace," she told him, placing some files on his table.

"Oh, okay. Thanks. But… um… who are you? I haven't seen you around." Ian asked somewhat awkwardly.

"Oh yes, I forgot to introduce myself!" The woman laughed softly. "I'm Rebecca Hunter, your new secretary." She said. "I see that Mr. Thompson forgot to tell you about the interview and everything concerning the replacement of your ex-secretary?"

"Uh… yes, as a matter of fact. He forgot." Ian replied, nodding his head.

"Okay. So, um, if that's all, then I take my leave, Mr. Wallace," said Rebecca, moving towards the door.

"Yes, yes, that's all. You may go now." Ian dismissed her with a wave of his hand, his mind racing. The uncanny resemblance between Daphne and Rebecca had been unnerving, but at the same time, he felt an indescribable sensation bubbling inside him. He had never felt like that anymore since Daphne's death. The feeling of love has long departed from him, but it seemed as though it was all coming back to him….

_No, stop it. Stop thinking about Rebecca. _He reprimanded himself silently. _You promised you'd remain true to Daphne, and you do just that, Ian Wallace. There is no way you're gonna break that promise, and hurt Daphne at the same time…_

* * *

Rylan sat in class, doodling on a piece of paper. It was Art lesson now, and he had no idea of what to do or draw. Ms. Roderick had said earlier, "Class, today I'll let you draw whatever you want to. You can draw your favourite things, or your favourite place. You can draw anything, do you understand?"

Rylan understood perfectly, but the problem was that he didn't know what to draw. He didn't have a toy that he liked in particular, and neither did he have a favourite place in mind. All he could think of was drawing shapes. The paper was decorated with lots of circles, triangles and rectangles.

"Rylan? What are you drawing?" Ms. Roderick suddenly appeared at his side. Rylan shrugged, without bothering to look up. "Ahh… I see different kinds of shapes! They're beautiful! How about drawing something else now?" Rylan did not respond to the praise.

"You don't have anything to draw?" Ms. Roderick guessed. Again, Rylan did not look up, but nodded. "Well, then how about drawing your family? Your mother? Your father?" She suggested.

This time, there was totally no reply from the boy. No actions, no answers, nothing. Flashing him a hopeful smile, though knowing that he couldn't see it, Ms. Roderick sighed quietly and left him on his own again. She knew that Rylan was a very soft-spoken child, and she always had a hard time getting answers out of him, but she also knew that Rylan was a terrific artist. He draws wonderfully for a five-year-old, and he draws even better than most teenagers she taught in other schools.

Rylan thought over Ms. Roderick's words. _"…Drawing your family? Your mother? Your father?"_ Smiling sadly, Rylan turned his paper over to a clean, blank page and started drawing again. Lines and circles soon appeared on the paper, and within minutes, a life-like sketch was produced.

* * *

"… Okay. Thanks for your opinion, Mark. And as I was saying… sorry, what did I just say again?" Ian froze, and slapped his hand against his forehead. He was feeling very embarrassed now, for he had been distracted many times during this meeting already. He just had too many things on his mind.

"You were just mentioning about the strategies used by Telesonics, Mr. Wallace," Rebecca reminded him, that sweet voice almost distracting him again.

"Oh… right. Yes, yes, that's what I was just talking about. Um… thank you for, uh, reminding me, Ms. Hunter," Ian stumbled on his words. "No, I mean, Rebecca. Anyway, like I was saying…" Ian continued, face flushing, trying to ignore the murmurs around him. What was going on with him today? No, it was not exactly his problem. It was Rebecca's too. _What is she doing? Why does she keep looking at me… in that way?_

"Well, like I was saying again, we've got to, uh, work hard to make it to the top of the list this year, and surpass Telesonics, okay?" Ian told the people seated around the table, desperately trying to end the meeting.

There were a few grunts and 'okays' around the table; others just nodded in agreement. Ian sighed in his mind, relieved, as his colleagues packed up and left the room. Just as he proceeded to leave too, Rebecca strode up to him, her face creased with worried lines.

"Mr. Wallace, um… I just wanted to tell you that I've got to rush home straightaway. My mother is ill and I must return home to take care of her. I'll be working from home. Is that okay with you?" She spoke so quickly that for a few seconds Ian just stared at her, trying hard to digest whatever she had said.

Finally, Ian nodded his head, but he seemed somewhat reluctant. "Very well," he replied. "I'll allow you to work from home, provided that you really do." Rebecca nodded her head so vigorously that Ian had a mental image of her head flying off her neck. "I will." She said, then left in a hurry.

TBC...


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hmmm... I don't know about you people, but for me, school has already started. And first week into school is like, whoa! There's already homework and tests! Okay, so they are diagnostic tests - whatever - but still, they give you stress, don't they? And excessive stress is bad - that's what I always say. Anyway, don't worry about not updating regularly due to homework demand, I will still update at least once per week. :) That should be good enough. Thanks to **sundaym0rning** for constantly reviewing! Your words are what encourage me to go on! :)

**Disclaimer:** Rebecca belongs to me. Ian doesn't.

**Hope you'll like this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 5

It was already late at night and the whole office was dark and empty, except for Ian scribbling away in his own little office. Suddenly his computer gave a little 'beep'. He glanced up at the monitor screen and saw that he had a new mail. And it was sent by Rebecca. Immediately his hand flew to the mouse and he clicked on the icon, reading the message.

_To: Ian Wallace  
__From: Rebecca  
__Subject: Working from home  
__Time: 21:48:16, Thursday, April 26, 2004_

_Mr. Wallace,_

_I just wanted to let you know that I am currently working from home._

_Yours Sincerely,  
__Rebecca_

He replied the email immediately.

_To: Rebecca  
__From: Ian Wallace  
__Subject: Re: Working from home  
__Time: 21:49:08, Thursday, April 26, 2004_

_Rebecca,_

_Actually you do not need to inform me that you are working from home. But never mind._

_How's your mother? Is she okay?_

_P.S.: Do you want to go for supper or coffee with me? I know I'll need the break. What about you?_

_Ian Wallace_

As he lay back on his cushioned chair, his mind was racing. It was as if there were two people debating inside him. One was discouraging him to invite Rebecca out; the other was actually egging him on.

_------Just go ahead and ask her. There's no harm in it._

_No! You cannot do this! What about Daphne?_

_------Never mind about Daphne! You're only going for a break with your secretary! What's wrong with that? You deserve a break anyway!_

_Ian Wallace, are you _really sure_ that you're _only_ going for a break and nothing else?_

Just as he was feeling frustrated, his computer beeped again.

_To: Ian Wallace  
__From: Rebecca  
__Subject: Re: Working from home  
__Time: 21:49:58, Thursday, April 26, 2004_

_Mr. Wallace, _

_Sure! I'd very much love to have supper/coffee with you! I need the break too._

_My mother's fine now. Thanks for your concern. By the way, I can return to work tomorrow._

_Yours Sincerely,  
__Rebecca_

He clicked on the "Reply" button, but then paused. Who should he listen to?

After a few moments of hesitation, he pushed away the 'debate' in his mind, and typed the following message: _Okay. I'll pick you up in 20 minutes' time. _Then he hit the "Send" button.

Ian pushed himself away from the computer and sighed.

* * *

Ian and Rebecca were sitting in a Starbucks café, sipping cups of hot steaming coffees quietly. They had just discovered that they had something in common – not stirring in sugar or milk into their cup of coffees. Both preferred bitter coffees. Of course, it might just be a coincidence, but the two decided it was more than that.

Once in a while, Ian would sneak a glance at Rebecca, but she was sipping her cup of coffee. Then Rebecca would peek at Ian, but he didn't notice for he was staring at his cup as if something was very fascinating about his plain, black coffee. And this would go on and on, the two sneaking glances at each other every now and then, yet the other person not knowing about it.

"So…" Ian began, finally trying to break the awkward silence, and yet he does not know what to say. "Um…" _Come on, Wallace, go on. Say something. After all, you're the one who asked her out. _

"Uh…" _What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Say something, for goodness' sake! _

"Well, um… how are you?" He asked lamely.

_Oh man! Fine, at least you opened your golden mouth to speak, but can't you say something better that that, for crying out loud?_

"Oh! Um… well, I'm fine…" Rebecca shrugged.

Ian nodded. "Okay… I see…"

_Speak, speak, speak… Start a conversation. Need I tell you that?_

"So, um… just curious, but how many siblings do you have?" Rebecca asked sweetly.

Ian, obviously surprised at the sudden question, stuttered, "Oh! Um, I… Well, none. I'm an only child, you see. Why do you wanna know?"

_Okay, so she started it. But you must take the initiative in the future, Wallace. Bear that in mind._

"Oh, nothing." Rebecca replied. "Just… just wondering, you know."

Ian immediately placed his hand on her hand and patted it, gazing into her eyes. "You're hiding something. I know it, I can see it in your eyes. Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can help you, or at least lend a listening ear."

For a moment, Rebecca sat still, without moving a single inch, as if she was under some spell. But when Ian took his hand away, the 'spell' was broken and Rebecca nodded vigorously, breathing rapidly. _Omigod, I can't believe it! Did you see it? Did you? Did you? Ian Wallace just held my hand! Okay, not 'held', but he placed his hand on my hand! I can't believe it! He actually did that!_

"Um… are you okay, Rebecca?" Ian asked, a concerned expression on her face.

"Yeah, sure. I'm fine. Perfect. Nothing could be more wrong." Rebecca replied with a pasted smile on her face, smoothing her hair and desperately trying to calm down.

"You sure? You were, like, panting just now."

"Oh, um, perhaps it's because of the hot coffee. I must have drank too much of it. And it sort of affected my breathing, you know." Rebecca made up an excuse quickly. A lame and silly excuse.

Ian nodded, but the expression on his face goes to show that he didn't really believe the reply given to him. It was as if he was deciding whether or not to believe her. "So… do you still want to talk about it?"

"About what?" For a second it was as though she had short-term memory loss. Then she recalled and pulled herself up. "Oh, oh. _That_. No, no, trust me, I'm okay." Rebecca said, reaching out to pet his hand. Startled by the sudden action, Ian pulled back his hand immediately, only to see a disappointed look on Rebecca's face.

"I… I'm sorry. It's just that I'm not used to –"

"Never mind. I'm tired. See you tomorrow at the office, Mr. Wallace." She took out a five-dollar bill and placed it on the table before standing up. "This is for my cup of coffee. Bye, and goodnight, Mr. Wallace." She turned to leave.

"No, wait. Let me drive you home. And let me foot the bill too. And please, call me Ian." Ian offered.

Rebecca turned back and for a while their gazes locked. Then she said reluctantly, "Okay. Very well. Thanks for the treat, Mr. Wallace."

"Ian."

"What?"

"Ian. Call me Ian."

"Okay. Thanks, Ian." Rebecca smiled, and this time, it was a true smile that came from her heart.

* * *

"Okay. You can just drop me off here. Thanks, Mr. Wallace." Rebecca told him, pointing ahead at a row of houses.

"No problem." Ian replied, flashing her his best smile for the first time. "And please, it's Ian."

"Right, right." Rebecca giggled a little too happily. "I keep forgetting. Not used to it, you see."

He pulled up, then got out of the car and walked around it to open the door for Rebecca. Smiling, Rebecca stepped out of the car.

"Shall I walk you to your door too?" Ian offered.

"No, no. There's no need. But thanks for offering, though." Rebecca shook her head. Just then she did something totally unexpected – she kissed Ian on the cheek. She then ran up the steps leading to her house, shouting as she ran. "Thanks for everything, Ian. See you tomorrow! Goodnight!" Then she turned around and blew him a kiss before bursting into a fit of giggles, turning back and running into her house.

Still taken aback by the unexpected kiss, Ian stood there, still. Then his face broke into a smile as he shook his head slightly, climbing back into the car and driving off.

TBC...


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Well, since this chapter is a... well... some kinda follow-up of the previous chapter, I decided to post it early (it is so short a chapter anyway).

To **sundaym0rning**: LOL. Hmmm... yes, true, now that you've pointed it out. She does behave like a teenager then. But, well, love can make one do weird things! ;P So what do you think IS going on with Rebecca? LOL. Oh yes, you might not like the length of this chapter, but I promise, I'll update soon. :) crosses fingers

**Disclaimer:** Ian- not mine. Rebecca - yes.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_I can't believe she kissed me. Well, it was only on the cheek, but… I still can't believe it, anyway. I know I'm not supposed to like her, or even fall in love with her, but I can't help it. I guess it just comes naturally. And I can bet that the feeling is mutual too. I know she feels the same way as I do. It's obvious, isn't it? That kiss was the clue. _

_But I don't know about Daphne. I mean, she told me to get a girlfriend. Okay, not directly, but isn't it the same as 'I don't mind Rylan calling another woman 'Momma'.'?_

_Okay, so if I were to keep my promise and remain true to Daphne forever, worst come to worst, I'll just tell Rebecca that we can't be together. But for now, I guess I'll continue to go out with Rebecca. After all, 'Rylan needs a mother's love.' _

_Okay, so I'm not ready to marry her yet, but it was just a thought, okay?_

* * *

Rebecca watched as Ian drove the car away. She smiled to herself. She can't believe it, but she had just kissed Ian!

It wasn't exactly her intention to kiss Ian actually. It was a sudden urge that made her do that. A sudden feeling. A sudden thought.

Okay, so she knew that she was not allowed to have a… relationship with her boss, but she could not help it. She had fallen in love with Ian when she first saw him, and she believed that Ian felt the same way too.

Happily, she closed the curtains and ran up the stairs, dancing and twirling around while humming a song. She waltzed into her bedroom and lay down on the bed.

"Goodnight, Ian." She whispered.

And from somewhere else, but not far away, someone said as if in reply to her, "Goodnight to you, Rebecca."

TBC...


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Hi there! I'm back again! Yay... I survived the second week of school! LOL. Okay. Back to actual stuff. **sundaym0rning** LOL. I hope you like this chapter as well! It's definitely longer. :) **aj** Hey there! Hmmm... making the chapters longer.. I have already done that. :) Writing from Rylan's POV? That's a good idea. If you don't mind, I'd like to consider that as one of the sequels instead? And, well, you mean Ian serenating to Rebecca? Hmm... there's an idea I could consider. Thanks for your suggestions and I will work on it. Hope you like this chapter too! :)

**Enjoy the story!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Rylan walked home quietly. He shuffled his feet noisily as he walked, kicking the pebbles along the roadside. No surprise here, because he walks home _quietly _(and I really mean quietly), without a single sound emitting from his mouth, every single day after school. No matter how he was feeling.

To tell the truth, he is _rarely_ happy. Or maybe even _never_, ever since his mother left him. But today was an exception. He got an A for his artwork! Okay, so he gets _that_ all the time in Art lessons, but this time it was different. He drew a portrait. And drawing a portrait was something he had _never_ done before, and he was so proud of it.

Although he wanted very badly for his father to have a look at his drawing, he continued strolling back home. Slowly. He knew that there was no point in rushing back home excitedly only to find that his father wasn't there, and get disappointed. He knew that Ian was at work all day, every single day of the week. And Ian practically worked 24/7, and Rylan knew that too.

Kicking pebbles off the pavement, Rylan thought sullenly, '_Papa doesn't care about me. Papa doesn't love me. Papa never plays with me. Papa doesn't want me anymore.'_ These negative thoughts raced through his mind. Should he believe them or not? Were they true, or were they merely 'illusions'?

Little Rylan remembered his father saying "Daddy _is_ your friend" and "Daddy loves you forever". But how true were Ian's words? He hadn't proved his point; his feelings just by verbal actions. He hadn't expressed his love towards Rylan. He hadn't showered Rylan with care and concern. And how would Rylan know that his papa truly loves him?

Rylan rounded the corner of his street and reached his house. He glanced at the shoe rack. There was no sign of his father's shoes. How he wished that he was wrong; that his father was back at home watching TV, waiting for him to come home, to have meals together... for once. But the keyword was: _wished_.

_Never mind, _he comforted himself. _I'll show it to Mabel then. Mabel will surely like it._

He stood on toes and rang the doorbell. The door opened and Mabel's face came into view. She was wearing a chef's hat and was holding a ladle. "Hi sweetie, how was school? Was it fun?" Mabel asked as Rylan slipped in through the open door.

Rylan took off his bag and placed it on the couch. He nodded vigorously as he rummaged through the thick wad of papers. Suddenly he pulled out a sheet and declared triumphantly, "Aha! Here it is!" He held the piece of drawing as if it were some really precious gem, and handed it over to Mabel with two hands. "Careful, don't spoil it! Use your two hands!" He exclaimed.

Mabel laughed, amused by the boy's worried expression. "Don't worry," she replied. "I'll be careful." She took the paper – with both hands – and glanced down at it. Then she gasped. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as she glanced up at Rylan, then down at his drawing, then at Rylan again.

"Oh my gosh! I cannot believe it! Rylan, you're such a great artist!" She exclaimed, hugging the boy excitedly. "Wait till your father sees this. You'll be jumping for joy!"

Rylan laughed and pushed himself away from Mabel. "Careful of my drawing, Mabel." He reminded her. "Anyway, why are you so excited? It is not the first time already." He told her as she smoothed the drawing straight and returned it to him.

"What do you mean by 'not the first time already'? You mean you have done other marvellous artworks like this one?" Mabel could not help feeling incredulous.

Obviously uncomfortable at the mention of his works, Rylan decided to change the subject. "So! What are you cooking for lunch today?" He asked cheerfully, looking over her shoulder at the kitchen.

"Well, I'm grilling steak today! I know it's your father's favourite." She answered proudly.

"Oh, but he's not coming home for lunch today."

"He's not?" Mabel seemed both disappointed and shocked. "I thought he was!"

"Nope. He's not." Seeing her crestfallen face, Rylan quickly added, "But never mind, we'll have it instead. I'm sure it tastes good."

Then, sniffing the air, he wrinkled his nose and asked, "Mabel? What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That! Don't you smell… burnt food?"

"Oh no!" She exclaimed. "My food! Lunch!"

They hurried into the kitchen and lifted the lid of the wok. Smoke rose, and a hazy 'fog' clouded their vision. She coughed, swatting away the smell with her free hand as best as she could. "Oh no!" She groaned. "The food is gone. What now?"

"Um… well, I'm sure we could still eat it. It actually smells good." Rylan said, hoping that his words were enough to cheer Mabel up.

"Come on, Rylan. It _does not_ smell good. I know it. And we definitely cannot eat it. That is, unless if you want to have a stomachache." She threw up her hands in frustration and sighed. "Oh well. Forget it. I just have to cook again." She shrugged.

"Mabel, you don't have to cook lunch again! We can go out and eat, can't we? I want to go to Macs then!" Rylan lit up at the idea of having fast food for lunch.

Mabel laughed. "Okay, whatever. You can eat whatever you want to. Now run along, and get changed quickly. I'm just going to clear up this mess first."

She watched as Rylan bounced up the stairs happily. She sighed and picked up the wok and brought it over to the running tap. "What a mess." She muttered, sighing again.

* * *

_She watched Rylan's fading figure. She gritted her teeth. "This time it didn't work. But next time, I'll make sure it will. Mark my words."_

* * *

"Mmm! It's delicious!" Rylan licked his lips with satisfaction as he munched into a Big Mac. "Mabel, why can't you bring me out more often to eat here? I _love_ this place!"

Mabel smiled and shook her head. "Don't you know that it's not healthy to eat fast food so regularly?"

"So what? Who cares about being not healthy?" Playfully, Rylan picked up two fries and stick them into his mouth, leaving them hanging like a vampire.

"Well, sweetie, being healthy is very important. Didn't your teacher teach you that?" Seeing the boy sitting in front of her shake his head (still with the fries dangling from the corners of his mouth), she smiled again. "Well, for example, if you eat too many fries, you can become fat."

Hearing that, Rylan looked down at the fries in his hand and dropped them immediately. His mouth dropped open and the 'strands' of fries that were originally hanging there dropped too. "Are you sure?" He gasped. "Are you really absolutely very hundred percent sure that …that these fries can make me f-fat?"

"Yep, why not?" Mabel grinned.

Horrified, Rylan glanced down at his fries. "I am _never _going to go near any of these again." He said, then took a deep breath and tore his eyes away from the fries. "But the burger does not make me fat, right?" He asked hopefully.

"Well," She eyed the burger apprehensively. "Yes, you will not get fatter after eating it. But… there's the Mad Cow Disease to consider, you know."

Rylan bit his lip and looked down at his half-eaten burger. "Forget it," He said finally after a moment of hesitation. "I'm not going to finish that."

"Okay, if you wish." Mabel smiled. "Come, let's go home now." She slid out of the chair as she thought, _Wow! I never knew I was so convincing!_

* * *

"Come, Rylan. It's time for bed." Mabel urged the young boy as he shook his head.

"No. I want to wait for Papa." He replied stubbornly while playing with his toy cars.

"Your papa will come home very late at night. Come now. It's time for you to go to sleep."

"No."

"Come." Mabel said firmly. "If you want to show your papa your drawing, you can show it to him tomorrow."

"No."

"Rylan, you better go upstairs on the count of three. Otherwise I'll throw all your toy cars away." She warned him, as she got more impatient. Normally Rylan would go to bed without resisting, but tonight…? Receiving no response from the boy, she called. "One."

But the boy did not even stir or look up.

"Two."

Still nothing.

Wanting to give Rylan a chance, Mabel, instead of counting three, said, "Two and a half. I'm telling you, Rylan, my patience is running out."

Silence. Nothing. Not even a single sound.

"Okay! That's it! Three!" Mabel threw her hands up in frustration. She gathered all his toys and threw them onto the couch. "Now, come!" She extended her hand, thinking that the boy would give in this time. But obviously she was wrong. Rylan just shook his head and said, "No." He did not even look up from staring at the floor.

Just then, Rylan looked up. His eyes were brimming with tears. "No," he whispered again. "No. I want to wait for Papa. I want to show him my drawing."

Immediately, the fire that was originally flashing in those clear blue eyes ebbed away. She knelt down next to the boy and sighed. "Rylan," she began, "You're tired now. It's bedtime, sweetie. You need to sleep. You can show your papa your drawing tomorrow."

"No… I want to show him today…"

Mabel bit her lip. Rylan can be really stubborn sometimes. "Okay Rylan, why don't you put your drawing on his table in the study room, and you can leave a note too. When your papa comes back tonight, he'll see it, and you can also go to bed now."

Rylan buried his tear-streaked face on Mabel's shoulder and nodded.

* * *

Ian slid the key into its place and turned it slowly. With a soft 'click', he opened the door and tiptoed in. Then he locked it behind him.

He walked quietly up the stairs to his study. He was deadbeat. Even that cup of coffee, and Rebecca's soft, moist kiss on his cheek was not enough to energize him.

He untied his tie, and threw it onto the study table from the room door. Then, without even looking at what was _on_ the table, he left the room.

TBC...


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Hey there! I'm back! Finally, yeah, I know. It's been, hmm, a week? **sundaym0rning:** LOL. Getting Rylan hit by a car? That's so mean! LOL. Well, in the later part of the story, Ian DOES get to realize those points and 'awakens'. So read on! :) **aj:** Rebecca related to Ian? Hmm... as far as I know, they are both in a relationship. As in, romance, and yep, that seems about it. Why on earth would you ask that? :P

Okay, hope you guys will enjoy this chapter!

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Chapter 8

_He recognized the white mist and the figure in the white dress. He knew where he was. But why was he back here again?_

_Then the figure moved towards him. Again. Why was this happening again? He felt like running away, but he couldn't. It was as if his feet were nailed to the ground. _

_He wanted to bury his head in the white ground that doesn't _look_ like a ground - they were more of… clouds. He didn't dare to face her. He was too ashamed to._

_She leaned forward and caressed his cheek. A single tear rolled off her cheek. She opened her mouth as if wanting to say something, but shut it immediately. Then, without a single word, she turned and started to walk away._

_It was only then did he find his voice. "Wait… where are you going? Why don't you even talk to me?" He asked, feeling a little hurt, yet relieved._

_With her back still facing him, she answered, "I feel your shame. I know you don't want to face me, to talk to me. But the only thing that leaves me puzzled is _why_. I know I have the ability to look into your mind, to listen to your thoughts, but I won't. I respect your privacy, and was hoping you would tell me instead. But you didn't. So what's the point in talking to you anyway?" She sniffed, as though she were crying. Just then, she spun round to face him. "I feel hurt. I am disappointed in you, Ian."_

_Ian swallowed. He did not know how to tell her how he felt. He did not know how to express his feelings._

"_We were after all husband and wife. Why must you keep secrets from me?" She asked tearfully as she took a step towards him._

"_I –" _

"_Don't you trust me anymore? Or have you actually given your love to that woman?"_

"_But I –"_

"_Oh yes, I forgot. I'm dead. I'm gone. I'm history." She slapped her hand on her forehead as if she had just forgotten something._

"_No, it's not like that! We are still married to each other! And you're not gone. You're still living in my heart forever, Daphne. You know it." Ian tried to explain. "And moreover," he lowered his head like a child does whenever he did something wrong, "you… you were the one who encouraged me to… to get Rylan a mother…"_

"_Yes I did. But what I'm upset about is your heart. You no longer trust me anymore."_

"_No, it's not true!"_

"_Then why didn't you tell me what was going on? Why did you feel like running away? Why did you feel so ashamed to see me?" Daphne shot back._

_Ian dropped his gaze to the ground as he desperately searched his mind for an answer. _Well, actually, the reason is simple. I'm in love with Rebecca. _He thought. But of course he didn't dare say it out loud._

_Unfortunately, Daphne had 'heard' that. She turned away from him._

"_Daphne, I'm… I'm sorry."_

_She snorted. "What for? What for do you apologize? It isn't you fault. I was the one who wanted you to get a girlfriend."_

"_Please… don't…"_

"_It's the truth, Ian. I've got to face it. Rylan needs a mother. And you love her. It's… it's something that I… I cannot… avoid. I'll just have to accept the fact."_

"_Daphne… please…"_

"_No. No, Ian. No. I understand. I do. I really do." Daphne turned to face Ian, and looked him squarely in the eyes. "You'd be better off with her."_

_Ian remained silent._

"_Forget it… I just want to wish you good luck."_

_Ian did not speak at all, and he watched as Daphne faded into the distance. He sighed._

* * *

Ian awoke to find beams of sunlight cast onto his bed. Then he propped himself up and lay on his back, thinking.

_Did Daphne really mean what she said? I feel that… that I've let her down. I mean, yeah, she was the one who told me to get what Rylan wants, but I could _not_ listen to her. I could have ignored her suggestion. And I shouldn't break her heart like that._

Then he turned and lay on his side, sighing. He was totally at a dilemma. _Now_ he finally knows what it feels like to be in a – what do you call that? – a love triangle.

But his thoughts of Daphne soon turned into images of Rebecca. Sweet, young, innocent Rebecca.

* * *

He jogged down the stairs. In one hand, he was carrying his bag, and the other clutching his tie.

"Hi, Papa," Rylan looked up from his breakfast and waved at his father, beckoning him to come have breakfast with him.

"Good morning, sir." Said Mabel as she placed Ian's breakfast on the table.

"Good morning!" Ian announced with a broad, but forced smile and sat down next to Rylan. "Hi, chocolate pudding," he ruffled the boy's hair gently.

Playfully, Rylan shoved Ian away, laughing. "Papa, have you watched too much of Lion King? I'm not Simba, you know!" He joked.

Grinning, Ian ruffled the boy's hair once more. He loved doing that, and he knew that his son loved that too.

Suddenly, Rylan changed the subject, and asked, "Papa, have you seen my art? I placed it on your study table last night. Did you see it? Did you?" He asked excitedly.

"What art? Nope, sweetie, I didn't. Sorry." Ian apologized, though it seemed as though he was uninterested and insincere. "I'll look at it tonight, okay?"

Rylan was truly disappointed. "How about now, Papa? Now? I'll run up and get it for you to see." He offered. He stood up so quickly he almost upset his food.

"Sorry, not now, Rylan. I've got to go to work." Ian stood up, and placed a gentle kiss on Rylan's forehead. "I'll come back in the evening to see your art, okay? I promise. And moreover, I can't wait to see it. I'm sure it's fantastic." He winked at the young boy as he made for the door.

"But sir, you've not eaten your breakfast!" Mabel exclaimed.

"I'm not eating it. I have important matters that need to be settled in the office. Take good care of Rylan." He told her, as he slipped into his black, shiny polished shoes.

"So you're coming back for dinner then?"

"Yes, yes. See you at night, Rylan!"

* * *

He was very disappointed. Ian did not even look at his sketch! He felt so hurt.

_But Papa has to go and work, remember? Papa said that he'd come back tonight to look at it. _He tried assuring himself. _And maybe Papa came back home late last night, so he didn't see the picture on his table._

Ian's promise miraculously calmed the boy down, but Rylan was still unconvinced. Finally, he decided to give Ian one more chance to prove that he really loved him.

* * *

_Look, look at the child. The boy is disappointed. Yes, he is. I can see it in his eyes. But he's not alone. I'm practically seething! I cannot believe it! My plan has foiled again! If has failed twice, and I won't let it repeat again! The third attempt must work!_

_TBC..._


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Hmm... School's getting tougher with all the tests and assignments and project work coming up. It's, like, every subject has a project work to do! And I'm practically tearing my hair out over them. Argh... Plus, stuff like house commitments and club stuff... and lots of other commitments. The holidays seem so far away... Sigh. Ok. To the story. **InfinityEstel:** Hey there! You changed your username! Hmmm... May I ask why? But it's cute, anyway. LOL. Rude awakening for Ian? Hmm... Oh I think he will... :) **aj: **Oh I see. Hmm... well, my answer is no. And I like the question. :) :) Nope, Rebecca isn't related to Daphne, no. Well... but someone else is. ;P

The **disclaimers** are as usual so I shan't type them all out. LOL.

Enjoy the chapter!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9**

Ian sank into his armchair. His eyes were practically on fire and his hands were sore after a long day of work. But there was no choice; he had to carry on.

Just then someone rapped on the door. "Come in," Ian said, almost whispering. He sighed and shut his eyes.

Rebecca slipped in through the small opening of the door. She did not make a single sound as she made her way to Ian's desk.

Sensing something wrong as it was awfully quiet, Ian popped his eyes open to find Rebecca tiptoeing into the room. She sulked immediately when Ian acknowledged her presence.

"What's the matter? What's wrong?" Ian's face was creased with concern.

"Nothing." Rebecca shrugged. "Just… just some kinda silly feelings." Then she changed the subject. "So! Are you free now? Can we go out for dinner together?" She asked excitedly.

"What? Now?" He stole a quick glance outside. "Are you sure about this?"

Rebecca laughed lightly. "Don't worry! Why are you so uptight? Everyone's gone, obviously. I wouldn't have come in if anyone was still around."

Ian just stared blankly at her in response.

"What?"

"Uh… nothing." Ian jolted out of his own thoughts. "You know… thinking." He turned away.

Rebecca narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Then she decided to let the matter drop. "Okay, then." She said. "So are you ready now?"

"Ready? Ready for what?" Ian had a blank expression on his face.

"Ian, were you listening to me just now? I asked if we could go out for dinner together tonight!" Rebecca explained, looking exasperated.

"Oh!" Ian's face was flushed. "I see. Yes, yes, I'm ready. Just… just give me a moment, will ya? Shouldn't take too long. Just have to pack up certain things, you know." He gestured towards the pile of paperwork on his table.

Grinning, Rebecca nodded. "You're one busy man!" She told him. "Okay then. I'll wait for you outside. I have my own things to pack too."

* * *

"_Je veux une tasse d'eau, s'il vous plaît_.." Rebecca told the waiter in French.

"Wow, I didn't know you knew how to speak French." Ian smiled.

"You don't really seem impressed, do you?" Rebecca grinned proudly, as she tossed her hair over her shoulders and leaned forward. "Anyway, my father is French."

"He is?" Ian raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yep." Rebecca replied with a mysterious smile. "And my mother is Chinese."

"Oh wow! A mixed! _That_ is cool."

"Merci." Rebecca thanked the waiter as he delivered her drink to her. She sipped from the straw and replied Ian, "Yes, it sure is. Imagine being able to speak three languages!"

"Hey, you must teach me how to speak Chinese some time!"

"I'll consider it first." Rebecca grinned.

"Okay." Ian grinned. "You know, there is always something new to learn about you every time, do you know that? Like, you don't drink." He pointed towards her cup of water.

"Well, that's basically because you still don't really know me that well!" She pointed out, giggling.

Ian and Rebecca were dining in a posh and luxurious French restaurant. Though Ian knew that it was not right for a person to date her boss, he could not help it. He knew Rebecca couldn't too. Anyway, she was just too… too irresistible.

_More irresistible than Daphne? _There was this nagging thing at the back of his head. He couldn't quite place what it was. It was basically someone, or something that was totally against him for going out with Rebecca. He tried pushing that question away, but unfortunately he couldn't. It kept coming back.

_---Don't you think that you're a two-timer, Wallace? _

_No! I'm not! I'm not a two-timer! _

_---Wallace, don't lie to yourself anymore. And don't lie to her too. Tell her the truth!_

_What truth? _

_---You're such a horrible liar, Wallace! You lie to everyone! You lie to her, and you lie to yourself!_

It was enough to drive him crazy. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Ian? Are you okay? You are awfully quiet." Rebecca asked. She reached out and touched his arm.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm okay." He replied, jumping out of his thoughts. Then he picked up his wine glass. "Cheers." He said.

"Cheers." Rebecca held up her own glass and clinked it against Ian's. As she sipped her water, she noticed something on Ian's hand. His fourth finger, to be exact.

"Um… Ian? What's that… _ring_ on your finger?" She demanded tentatively.

Immediately, Ian froze. _Now's the time for her to know, _he thought, as though he had been waiting for that time for a long time now. Unintentionally, he blurted, "I must tell you something Rebecca."

"What?" Rebecca narrowed her eyes at the sudden change in Ian. He had become all serious and stiff suddenly, and that scared her. She didn't know what was coming up next, and feared for the worst. "What?" She demanded again.

"I… I must tell you something important…"

"Out with it."

"Actually, I wanted to let you know that… that I have a kid."

"A _what_?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was this a joke? If it was, it sure wasn't funny.

"A kid. Child, you know. "

Rebecca didn't respond.

"Um… Rebecca? Are you all right? I just told you this because I wanted to how you would feel."

Gritting her teeth, Rebecca turned away and took a deep breath before turning back to look at Ian in the eye.

"You want to know how I feel?" She echoed Ian's words through gritted teeth. "Hmm? Now _this_ is how I feel!" She stood up so quickly and grabbed the cup of wine beside her, pouring its contents over Ian. Then, setting the cup down in a loud 'clink', she left the restaurant angrily, with all the other diners staring at the 'dramatic' scene.

For a moment, Ian was so shocked by the sudden move that he remained still. But soon after, he recovered, and slapping two fifty-dollar bills onto the table, he ran out of the restaurant quickly, hoping that he would still be able to catch Rebecca.

He dashed out onto the roads to find Rebecca flagging down a cab and getting into it. Breaking into a sprint, he ran next to the vehicle and bang hard on the window, signaling for Rebecca to come out.

As expected, Rebecca ignored him, but the cab driver didn't. "Hey, m'ss," he said with his cigarette on the edge of his lips, obviously annoyed, "please get out so that the young man will stop banging on me poor window, or ya'll hafta' pay for the damage when he breaks it. Ya gotta know that me car is twenty-three years, el'ven months, nine days and," he glanced at his watch, "six min'tes and forty-two-seconds-old now already! Please spare a thought for it, will ya? Me have six people ta feed at home!"

"Fine!" Rebecca spat in disgust as she opened the door and got out. She watched as the cab drove away, leaving her standing alone on the roadside with Ian. Then she sank down to the ground and began to cry.

"Wha- I- you- I-" Ian was speechless. He was at a loss of what to say. He hated it when girls break down right in front of him because firstly, he didn't know what to do, and secondly, it always made him feel that he was the one at fault, the one who caused the girl to cry.

Sighing, Ian bent down and touched Rebecca's left shoulder. "Come on, stop crying." He pleaded. "Please? Stop crying! Come, get up. You look like a baby, sitting down on the floor crying, you know." He joked.

"Oh, okay! I see! So _now_ I'm being babyish and childish!" Angrily, Rebecca dusted his hand off her shoulder and stood up. She smoothed her skirt and, ignoring Ian, walked away, still crying. Ian jogged up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. Then he spun her around and took her into his arms. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. It was meant a joke. There's no need to cry." He cooed.

But unexpectedly, Rebecca put up a fight and tried to wriggle out of his grip. "What are you trying to do?" She shouted heatedly. "Let me go!" She yelled so loud, people around them were glancing their direction.

Aware of the many probing and suspicious pairs of eyes, Ian let go of her immediately. "What is going on with you?! Why are you acting so…"

"Bitchy?" Rebecca sneered. "I thought you were smart enough to know why. But never mind, I'll tell you why. Firstly, I just went out with my boss who's a two-timer! And secondly, the damned cab driver refused to drive me home all because of you! You were the one who pounded on that sickening window! It's all because of you!" She yelled, and pounded her fists on Ian's chest angrily.

Throughout this whole 'torture', Ian muttered not a single word. He chose to remain silent as he allowed Rebecca to continue venting her anger on him. Suddenly, Rebecca stopped and slumped. She would have hit the ground if not for Ian, who caught her in time.

But to his amazement, she did not even express her gratitude. Instead she pushed him away and walked off in the other direction, leaving no words behind.

"Hey, wait!" Ian called out but remained where he was standing. He decided it best not to chase after her. "Why are you treating me like this? I'm _not _a two-timer! Don't you even _trust_ me?"

But his words gathered no response as Rebecca kept on walking, occasionally raising her hands to wipe her tears away.

"Listen! I'm telling you for the second and last time! I'm NOT a hypocrite, NOT a two-timer, NOT a jerk… whatever you can call me!" He yelled. "My wife is already dead and I love you!" The second the words were out of his mouth, he quickly covered it in surprise, though knowing that he would not regret saying that out loud.

As expected, the words had an effect and Rebecca immediately stopped walking.

"Don't you understand? I love you!" Ian yelled from where he was standing. Still receiving no answer, he edged her slowly, a step at a time. "So what if I'm your boss? So what if I have a child? You know very well that I love you, don't you?" He asked.

Slowly, he walked round her and planted his feet firmly on the ground in front of her. Placing a hand on her shoulder and the other on her chin, he guided her face up so that her eyes met his. Then looking into her eyes, he told her, "Rebecca, no matter what happens, I will always love you, I promise." He pulled her into a tight embrace.

After a few moments of 'warmth' and comfort, Rebecca looked up at Ian's handsomely chiseled face. "Do you really mean what you say, Ian Wallace?"

"Then let me ask you, Rebecca Hunter, have I ever had a reason to lie to you?" A smile played on his lips as he continued, "I'm an honest man, and an honest man you can always trust to be honest."

A soft giggle escaped Rebecca's lips as she returned Ian's warm embrace. "I take your word for it, mate!"

* * *

"The stars here are so beautiful, don't you think so?" Rebecca tore her eyes away from the dark sky and looked up at Ian's face. She loved it when she lay on others' laps and when they stroked her hair fondly.

"Yeah."

"I've never seen so many of them before! Have you?"

"Uh-huh."

"I wish I could see them every single day. They just make a person feel… feel so… nice. And loved." She sighed, turning over to gaze at the sky again.

"Hmm." Ian nodded absently.

"Do you know that the operators found out that Haiti's computer has a bug in it and they closed down the whole operating system today?" She continued without changing her tone of voice, but looking up at her boyfriend to see if her was even paying any attention to her at all.

"Mm. That's nice." He murmured in reply, obviously responding automatically to her tone of voice, without having heard a single word she said.

Rebecca tried hard to stifle her laughs. Half a moment later a strange look crossed Ian's face as her words finally registered in his mind.

"What?" He turned a bewildered look upon her.

Rebecca laughed, she couldn't help it. "Weren't you listening to a word I said?"

"Apparently not," he admitted.

"What are you thinking about that's got you so preoccupied?" She asked as she helped herself up and plopped down next to him.

"Many things," Ian sighed, gazing out at the horizon as his look turned distant again.

"Like...?" Rebecca pushed.

Ian shot her a wry grin. "You women are extremely nosey, aren't you?"

"Yeah, so what?" She replied, unashamed. "Come on, come on. You have not answered my question yet. What were you thinking about?"

Sighing, Ian said, "I guess today I've learnt something new about women. You can't keep anything from them otherwise you're gonna have terror."

"What!" Rebecca exclaimed and punched him lightly playfully. Ian laughed.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you, okay?" He held up his hands in surrender. Then he sighed, again.

"Come on, I'm still waiting. I don't want to wait for the cows to come home."

"I… I'm just wondering if you'd… accept my son." Ian said slowly, careful of the choice of words he used.

"Rylan?"

"Yes. After you outburst just now, you know."

"Are you kidding? How could you even ask me such a question!" Rebecca exclaimed, at the same time garnering a curious yet surprised stare from Ian.

"I… I…"

"Of course I would! I totally love kids!"

"Really? You mean it?"

"Yeah!" Rebecca rolled her eyes.

"Then, what if… what if we, you know, would you look after Rylan then? Care for him like he's your own son?"

Rebecca hesitated. "Is that your way of… of proposing?"

"Wait, we can talk about that later. Answer my question first."

"Yes, I would."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay then! Come on! We have a place to go!" Ian stood up immediately and pulled Rebecca up too. Taking her hand, he dragged her along as he ran towards the car.

* * *

"Hey wait! Slow down a little! I need to catch my breath!" Rebecca exclaimed as Ian pulled her along excitedly. "Where on earth are we going? Why did you bring us here?"

"Sorry, but I can't slow down. You'll know it later, I promise." He assured her.

"But – whoa!" Rebecca gasped as they halted in front of a huge, dazzling shop.

"Voilà!" Ian announced proudly. Standing in front of them was a jewellery shop with thousands, no millions, of shiny and glittering diamonds in there.

"Whoa…" Rebecca muttered under her breath as she took a step into the grand place. As if she had not seen such gems before, she wandered around the place, peering into every single showcase with immense awe and pleasure. "Oh my god."

Ian chuckled. "They're beautiful, aren't they? Choose one that you like."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Is this your way of proposing to women?"

Shrugging helplessly, he answered. "I guess so."

"Tactless. But never mind," she said, turning back to the showcases, "I won't hound you for more answers. But… but I can't choose! They're all so beautiful! I want them all!" She whined like a young child who has lost her teddy.

"Well… if you really want to…"

"What? No way! I was just kidding! Don't take me seriously, please! I don't want you to be broke. I'll… I'll just have something simple. Sweet and simple."

"No, no. It's okay if you want to have something more expensive, you know."

"No, I don't. I'd like something plain and… and not complicated." Rebecca replied, at the same time telling the shop assistant too. He nodded and beckoned her towards a different showcase. "Something… something unique and special too."

"Unique? Special?" Ian echoed.

"Mm-hmm." She nodded as she browsed through the rows of dazzling diamonds. They were so glistening; she almost had to shield her eyes from the reflected light. "Hey! What do you think of this one?" She exclaimed suddenly, with her finger pointing at one of the rings in the glass case.

"Hmm?" Ian strode towards her direction, curious and eager to see what she had laid her eyes upon. But what he saw took him by surprise. The ring that had caught Rebecca's attention was _plain_. It was _so_ plain and normal; there was totally no design on it. It was just a plain, simple silver ring.

"Are you sure you want that? You don't want any diamonds?" He asked, couldn't help feeling incredulous.

"Nope. I don't want any diamonds. I like this one." She shook her head, but hesitated for a moment before continuing. "But… it would be even better if only there were _carvings_ on it. Words."

"Words?"

"Uh-huh. For example, yours can have: _Rebecca loves Ian forever. _And mine is vice versa." Rebecca replied, with a hint of excitement in her voice. "What do you think?"

"What do _I_ think? I say we go for it!" Ian grinned.

**_TBC..._**

**Actually, I don't exactly like this chapter, so I'd welcome all reviews.**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Hey there! To all Chinese out there, here's wishing you a happy Chinese New Year:) Yeah, we've got the day off here. And tomorrow too. Haha. No school. Yay! LOL. Okay.

**InfinityEstel: **LOL. Thanks for reviewing once again. Hmm... the rude awakening? I don't think it will come SO soon. Perhaps in another 2-3 chapters:)  
**aj: **hello there! Hmm... yes I think I do agree with you that the chapter's quite fast. Will look over it again, perhaps? Oh! Rebecca? Hmm... well I thinkit's either you misunderstood my little hint, or that I rephrased it wrongly. Let's just say that Rebecca isn't really related to anyone in here. Yep. I wonder where you get the thought from:D

Okaypeople! I know this came late but still I hope you guys like it:)

**Disclaimer:** As usual.

* * *

Chapter 10

Rylan hung up the phone with a heavy heart. It was all he could do to control his emotions and not slam the receiver down. He was angry; he was upset. He could not believe what he had just heard.

"Again?" Mabel asked somewhat sympathetically as she wiped her oily hands on the kitchen towel. She sort of had expected it.

Rylan nodded miserably. He should have known. It was just typical of Ian not to have his meals at home. Hoping that he would was as though hoping to see a blue moon, which, of course, is impossible.

"Oh Rylan," Mabel tried to re-piece the young boy's broken heart. "You know your father is busy. And you also know that this is not his first time, right?" A half-smile played on her lips. "Anyway, don't be upset, 'cause if you are, then that will give me a good reason to be even more upset than you are."

"Why?" The confusion was shown in Rylan's eyes.

"Well, you see, I spent so much time preparing the food, and your dad just didn't turn up. A waste of my time and food, isn't it?" She joked.

Rylan half-grinned. "Not to worry. I'll help to polish off the food."

* * *

He looked so peaceful and calm as he lay on the couch, sleeping. She smiled and shook her head. She was careful not to make any sound to wake him up.

She strode towards the sleeping boy as quietly as she could. Sliding her hands under his body, she tried to carry him, but he would not budge. _Oh man! How could he have grown so much heavier in just half a year! _She complained inside her.

Just then, his eyelids fluttered and he woke up. "M-Mabel?" He asked, blinking his eyes rapidly. "I – What am I doing here?"

"You fell asleep on the couch while watching TV, don't you remember?" She pointed at the television, which was still switched on. The screen showed a couple kissing and making out in bed. "You watched that?" She asked, raising her eyebrows in question.

"Eww… Yuck! No way! I was watching Spongebob Squarepants! Really!" Rylan insisted.

"Okay okay," Mabel laughed as she switched off the television. "I believe you. Now, come, go to bed." She bit her lip, wondering about the boy's reactions.

Surprisingly, Rylan nodded his head without picking up a fuss. He stood up and walked towards the spiral stairs. Then he stopped on the first step. "Wait, I want to…" he said. Mabel groaned. She dreaded what was coming next. But Rylan did not continue his unfinished sentence. Instead he began to run up the stairs.

"Rylan? What are you doing?" Mabel narrowed her eyes as she climbed up the stairs too.

She received no answer, only the shuffling and crumpling of papers. Then there was a 'plop' and Rylan suddenly appeared in his father's study's doorway. He was smiling, which was quite odd for someone who was really upset about his father just hours ago.

"Okay, I'm done. Now I can go to sleep." He announced, still with that big smile plastered on his face. That smile just was not quite right. It was too… too happy; it seemed so fake.

As Rylan trudged off to his bedroom, Mabel stopped at the door of Ian's study. She peered in, trying to find out what changes did Rylan make, but found none. Then her eyes fell onto the waste paper basket near the doorway. Her heart sank as she recognized what was in it.

It was the crumpled version of Rylan's portrait and the note he left for his father.

* * *

The clock chimed twice. It was 2 am in the morning.

He slid the key into its place and turned it slowly. With a soft 'click', he opened the door and tiptoed in. Then he locked it behind him.

He walked quietly up the stairs to his study. He was really tired after all that driving and excitement. _But it_ _was all worthwhile_, he thought as he glanced at the shiny silver ring on his finger_. It was worth the wait._

He untied his tie, and threw it onto the study table from the room door. It was no surprise when he simply walked past the waste paper basket.

He had missed it. Again.

TBC...


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hey there! Know that I've been away for such a long time... Two weeks? No, I think longer. Hmmm. Sorry about that! Just finished the major tests this week and it's finally a huge PHEW! Of course, there are still tons of things to do next week but I'll survive:) Cause the week after next is a HOL! Woohoo! Yep. Haha. Okay, I hope that despite my long absence you guys will still stick around for me to complete the story. Yup. **aj:** It's all right. :) Yes... Daphne IS related to some one... but I'm not gonna tell ya! That'd spoil the surprise! Haha. Do stick around to find out then? LOL. I'm doing abit of advert here, aren't I?

**Disclaimer:** As usual

Enjoy the chapter:)

* * *

Chapter 11

Ian strode into his workplace.

Just as he was about to enter his office, he stole a glance at Rebecca's cubicle. Her colleagues were all huddled around that small little private space she had, gushing over the beautiful ring she wore on her middle finger. The engagement ring.

"Oh my god… it's so beautiful!" One of them cooed.

"Please, Alice," another rolled her eyes, as she told the previous one. "it's just a plain, ordinary silver ring. Nothing on it, unlike mine – two carats!" She announced proudly, putting out her slender hand to boast about the diamond ring that lay on her fourth finger.

Everyone wowed at the sight of the glamorous ring that diverted their attention. Only Alice remained unfazed. She rolled her eyes as she told Rebecca, "Ugh! I can't stand that Brenda! Always showing off! Before her marriage, wasn't her engagement ring just like yours?" She shook her head disgustedly. "Anyway, you must show us your wedding ring! I'm sure it'll be better than Brenda's. Let's show her what you have too. That'll teach her to shut up. And oh, you mustn't forget to invite us to your wedding dinner, you know! We wanna see who the lucky guy is……"

Rebecca laughed. "Well, if you must know, my wedding ring does not have any diamonds on it. It'll be something like that." She pointed to her engagement ring. "Anyway, we've decided to keep our marriage somewhat private, so there'll be no wedding dinner. I'm sorry." She replied apologetically.

"What?" Brenda overheard what Rebecca had said and turned to her. "Is your husband-to-be really that poor? It's pathetic." She pretended to sympathize with her,

"No, he isn't. In fact, it was I who wanted a simple ring." Rebecca tried to tell her calmly, but this Brenda was really getting on her nerves, just like Alice had.

"Uh… sorry to interrupt you ladies, but may I remind you that leisure chatting is not allowed during office hours?" A familiar voice came from behind. Rebecca recognized it as Ian's. She smiled. _Just in time_, she thought. The women all scattered, hurrying back to their own cubicles. "Ms Hunter, will you please come to my office?" His tone was sort of demanding.

Shrugging at her curious friends with a hopeful smile, Rebecca slid out of her seat and followed Ian into his office, but just in time to hear her colleagues' comments.

"That Mr. Wallace… what does he wants? Always bosses people around. I wonder if he is married."

"Yeah. I think he'd probably remain single, given his character."

"I wonder what kind of women he likes… you know, he's quite good-looking… what? Why are you staring at me like that? It' the truth!"

Rebecca smiled. _And that lucky woman is me, _she thought. Thankfully, Ian had not heard their comments.

* * *

She stood waiting patiently as he settled down in his cozy working space. 

"Now, Rebecca," he began, "are you free tonight? I want you to come to my house to meet my son. I mean, you've got to know him, right?" He tried to appear as stern as possible, just in case any Peeping Toms were watching from outside. There were, actually, some nosey people glancing this way.

"No problem!" Rebecca grinned. "I'll leave first. Then half an hour later you leave to come pick me up. Let's meet somewhere farther. So I'll take a bus to…"

"The restaurant we dined at last night." Ian answered.

"Okay! See you then!" Rebecca's smile grew wider as she made for the door.

"Uh… Rebecca?"

"Yeah?"

"One thing – just in case those Pinocchio-like friends of yours ask what's going on – which I bet they will – you can tell them that there'll be a free dinner for everyone next Friday for their hard work this whole year. And another thing – please do not flaunt your wedding ring like Brenda in the future."

"Pinocchio?"

"Yeah. They have long noses like Pinocchio, don't they?" Ian saw the blank look on Rebecca's face and quickly explained, "Nosey, you know? Nosey?"

"Ohh… right. Anyway, what if they ask, 'Oh why did he tell you and not announce to us instead?'" Rebecca imitated the perfect voice of Brenda.

Instead of answering her question, Ian asked mysteriously. "How are you related to me?"

* * *

"So… what happened? What did he want? Why are you smiling like that?" Alice crossed over to Rebecca's cubicle and asked eagerly. She was practically dying from the suspense. 

"Hey, hey, slow down!" Rebecca laughed as she held up her hands. "Well, the thing is, you will all have free dinners next Friday. Everyone is invited."

"Really? You're not kidding? Today's not April's Fools, right?" Alice's eyes widened in surprise. Such events hardly happened, especially one that was organized by the big boss himself.

"If you find it hard to believe, you can go ask him yourself. Help me let everyone know, will you? You've got a loud voice."

"Sure, no problem!" Alice agreed excitedly. A free dinner meant luxury. They would surely have the chance to eat delicious delicacies, and yet not pay anything for it!

Rebecca smiled as she watched her colleague break the news. _They deserve it, in replacement of the wedding dinner. _

* * *

It was awfully quiet, except for the loud music that was blaring through the radio. None of them knew what to say, therefore held their tongue. They were both nervous about the meeting with the little boy later. 

"So… um," Rebecca tried to break the awkward silence. "Do you think he'll be okay with me?"

"Yea yea, sure. I mean, why not, right?" Ian replied.

"Oh…" Rebecca settled back into her seat, still clutching the soft toy they had bought for Rylan. Of course, they were going to say that Rebecca "specially" bought it for him, but naturally it was Ian who paid the money, and they were not planning to mention that.

"Aww… c'mon. Don't get so… uptight! It'll be fine. He'll love you, like I do." Ian placed his hand over hers, trying to reassure her. At the same time, he was struggling to drive with one hand.

"Yeah, I know." Rebecca smiled. "Now concentrate. Focus on your driving." She ordered teasingly.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ian joked.

Rebecca laughed. But she felt weird. "Ian?" She asked.

"Hmm?"

"Don't you feel that… that our relationship is a little weird?"

"Weird? In what sense?"

"I don't know, honestly. Too fast, maybe? I mean, we've known each other for not more than, what, one week! We didn't really, you know, bonded together or whatsoever."

Sighing, Ian again reached over and tried to calm her down. "Please, Rebecca. Don't be such a… worrywart. I mean, it's all right. You know what they say, "love at first sight". Ours are a very good example. C'mon… you know I love you, and you too, don't you?"

"I… I guess. Maybe. And… yes, I love you too. But I still can't believe that we're actually going to, you know, tie the knot tomorrow night! Isn't that a little too early?"

"Well… if you want to, we can always do it ten years later you know." Ian shrugged.

"No, wait!" Rebecca laughed. "Not so far from now! One year would be nice, but…" She chose her words carefully. "I guess tomorrow is fine. It's great if we can wed early anyway." She smiled, then leaned over to kiss Ian on his cheek.

"Whoa whoa!" Ian laughed. "I'm driving, you know!"

"Sorry!" She exclaimed sheepishly in return. "How far are we now?"

"Not far. Just ahead." He replied, totally unaware of the unsettling feeling the petite brunette beside him felt.

* * *

"So what's his name? I'm so nervous I forgot!" Rebecca whispered to Ian as he fiddled with the lock. 

"Rylan. R-Y-L-A-N." Ian rolled his eyes.

"Rylan. R-Y-L-A-N." She repeated after him. "Okay, I'll try to remember that."

"Don't try! You must remember! Come on, you can do it!" Ian hissed encouragingly as he opened the door.

"Ookay… So, it's Ryan, isn't it?" Rebecca muttered under her breath. "No, no, no, it isn't. It's Dylan, right? No, wait, it's not. Oh damn, why must he give him such a unique name?" She groaned.

But Ian had not heard anything from her at all. "Rylan!" He called. "Rylan? Are you home?"

"Rylan! That's right! Yes, it's Rylan! R-Y-L-A-N!"

"Rylan?" Ian yelled.

There was the heavy pounding of footsteps, then Rylan appeared. He started towards his father, but halted immediately upon seeing a pretty black-haired woman standing beside him with her hands behind her back. He narrowed his eyes. Who was this woman and why was she here in his house?

He was just about to open his mouth to ask his father when Ian introduced, "Rylan, this is Rebecca. And Rebecca, this is my son, Rylan."

"Hi Rylan!" Rebecca waved to him cheerfully. _Phew! Thank God I got his name right. _

Just then Mabel descended from the stairs above. She, too, was surprised to see Rebecca, Holding Rylan close to her, she was careful not to move an inch for she knew how insecure the boy could feel.

"Rylan? Come on, don't be so rude. Say hello to Rebecca." Ian urged.

Rylan was feeling scared. He was afraid. Why was his father standing next to some woman and not to him? Who was this Rebecca? Has she come to take him away from his father? Or does his father not want him anymore because of her? He was confused. His mind burned with a million questions - questions which he dared not, and would never, ask. He feared for the answer.

"Hi, Auntie Rebecca." He said weakly. He decided he was not going to let down his guard till he knew this woman inside out. "Are you Papa's sister?"

Ian and Rebecca exchanged looks. Then Ian began laughing. It was a somewhat nervous laugh. "Um…" Ian cleared his throat. "Rylan, I think you've got it wrong, but never mind, because you're still young. It's just that… wait. First you tell me of what you think of Rebecca. And come over here. Don't be scared because she's really nice." He beckoned for him to come forward.

But Rylan shook his head and clung to Mabel tightly like a leech. He pursed his lips, as though telling his father that he refused to speak.

Ian sighed. He had not a single clue on what to do in this really awkward situation. "Um… Rebecca, you see, Rylan's a very… sensitive boy. He doesn't trust strangers easily, so… if you'd excuse him for not being a warm and friendly host."

"Oh, no. It's right to not trust strangers easily. He's a smart boy, you know. And no, I won't take it to heart because what he's doing is right." Rebecca tried to get the boy to warm up to her by looking him in the eye, though she was approximately four full metres away from him.

"Oh, right. Yes, yes, he's a very smart boy. Diligent, yes. But uh…" Ian turned to Rylan, unsure of how he should break the news. "Rylan,_ this_, is your new, um, Momma." He said flatly.

There! He said it! But somehow Ian felt that the way he had put it was not quite pleasant, in fact, quite bluntly. Straight to the point and not beat around the bush. But hey, wasn't that what he had wanted?

Receiving no response from the boy, he probed, "So? Rylan, what do you think of it? Rebecca as your Momma? I know it's a little weird, but, you know, you've been saying all the while that you want a Momma to love you and stuff, and I'm sure Rebecca loves you a lot, so…" He couldn't continue, he didn't know how.

As if on cue, Rebecca spoke up. "Yes, I love you a lot and I promise I can care for you, look after you and love you like you're my very own flesh and blood." She told the boy calmly, looking very sincere. For a moment, she thought she had wormed her way into the boy's heart when she saw the expression in his eyes. But just as quickly as it had appeared, it soon vanished without a trace.

Disappointed by Rylan's non-response, she straightened herself up. At that very second she could have sworn she saw the expression on the maid's face change – as though her anger had reached the top level. But it seemed as though it were an illusion, so she dismissed the thought. _It must be the stress I'm suffering from at work… what is going on with me, anyway? I can't even get a child to trust me! _

Sighing, she walked towards the boy, with the stuffed toy still hidden behind her back. She bent down and stared into Rylan's eyes as she said, "It's okay if you don't trust me, Rylan, it's okay. But you'll in time. Anyway, this," she reached behind her and took out the stuffed toy, "is for you. Hope you like it. Just treat it as a… 'nice-to-meet-you' gift, okay?" She smiled and placed the stuffed teddy bear in the boy's arms.

Without waiting for a response as she knew she would receive none, Rebecca stood up and walked back to where Ian was standing. She cocked her head a little to the right and Ian caught her hint.

"Uh… Rylan, I'll be sending Rebecca home now. I'll be right back, okay?" He went in his direction and planted a kiss on the child's forehead. "Come, let's go." He told Rebecca as they exited together.

* * *

"I can't believe I couldn't even get him to warm up to me! To think I mixed around with young children his age for almost a decade!" Rebecca complained. 

"Hmmm?"

"I was a babysitter, remember? I babysat every weekend when I was young."

"Oh, right. Anyway, calm down, Rebs. He'll accept you in time to come. Don't worry. Just let nature takes its course, you know." He told her.

"Yeah, whatever. I just hope that he wouldn't be like that anymore after tomorrow." She sighed.

* * *

Needing no 'advice' from Mabel, Rylan immediately ran upstairs to Ian's study after the couple had driven off. He grabbed a pair of scissors and plunged it into the bear's stomach. 

Feathers flew out from the small 'wounds' he had inflicted on the bear. He was mad, really mad. He couldn't stand the thought of his father abandoning him for a woman. Cursing silently under his breath, he worked rapidly and non-stop like a machine, thrusting the scissors into the soft, cotton-bedded thing angrily, creating holes one after another. He didn't care about the feathers that were strewn all over the floor. He couldn't care less.

He felt satisfaction in every hole he created. How he wished it were a voodoo doll, like those he watched on TV. If only he could use this to harm that Rebecca… If only every plunge he was creating would inflict actual pain on her… If only…

It was driving him crazy. He didn't know what he was doing, and he couldn't stop. It was as though he had lost control of his hands to some… maniac or devil – they were about the same anyway. Cutting up and ruining the whole toy, it was surprising that he was actually taking pleasure in destroying it. He was venting his anger on the toy.

Then he stopped suddenly. The scissors fell from his hand and landed on the floor with a loud _clatter_. The whole room fell into utter silence as the feathers were still floating down in the air. It was as though time had stopped at that very moment.

Just as the last feather touched the hard marbled floor, Rylan spun round on his heels and dashed out of the study. The only thing he wanted then was to be gone from the world.

TBC...


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N:** Hey all! I'm back:) Yeps. It's the hols over here (finally!) and so Ihave the time to update! Okay, this will be a short chapter but I promise to update soon, okay:) **InfinityEstel:** Hey you're back! I was just wondering where did you go? Anyway, yes, Rylan is quite hurt on the inside and that kinda explains his actions on the, erm, teddy bear. Yeah. LOL. But don't hate him, he's after all a little kid. Haha. **rugby-chick: **Thanks for your review! I hope you like this chapter as well. :) **aj: **Hey there! Erm yeah, but this chapter is shorter. So, sorry about that! Hmmm... About the 'age problem' you brought up... Well, yes, Rylan IS supposed to be around 5-6 yrs old, but I guess I did portray him wrongly. Maybe I overestimated a young child's ability. Okay, I will look back and try to improve on that and be more careful next time. Thanks for pointing that out! Hope you like this chapter all the same. :)

**Disclaimer:** As usual

* * *

Chapter 12

-  
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along

_-Evanescence  
_-

_He was back again. But this time it was by _his_ wish. He wanted to come back here. He had to; he must._

"_Daphne! Daphne, come out! I know you're here… you don't have to hide from me. I can feel it! Come out, please! I need your help!" He yelled as he wandered around the place, and kept turning rounds till he was dizzy._

"_Daphne, please!" He cried. There was nothing more he wanted than for Daphne to hear his pleas and come forward to aid him. "Please…" his voice degenerated into a soft whisper._

_Just then, a huge gust of wind stirred up and she appeared, though somewhat reluctantly._

"_What? What do you want?" She demanded. She didn't mean for the words to come out _that_ harshly, but she couldn't bear to be disappointed again. She could not lower her guard… not now._

"_I- I'm sorry, but I… I needed to talk to you." Ian lowered his gaze sheepishly. "I… I don't know what I must do. I- I feel totally lost…" It was only then did he dare raise his eyes. "Please, Daphne, please tell me the solution to this… unknown problem. I know you know it."_

_Daphne's gaze softened almost immediately. This was the second time she had seen her love so fragile… just like a young child. He looked so weak, he was about to cry, even though he tried badly to hold back his tears. Her heart melted._

"_Oh Ian…" He let her embrace him without putting up a fuss. He hated himself for showing her what was under his skin – his true inner self, the weakling. But now he couldn't care less. He'd rather let his inner child surface, whimpering away, than put on a brave front, which he couldn't accomplish right now. He wanted so badly to be in Daphne's arms again… _

"_I feel your pain, Ian, and I know exactly how it feels like. But just… just follow your heart. Listen to what it tells you to do. If you truly love Rebecca, then go for it, no one's stopping you – not me. I- I'll be supporting you, no matter what happens…"_

_This was the first time Daphne actually mentioned Rebecca's name out loud. Ian tore his arms away from her._

"_No… I just feel that… somehow this is not right." He shook his head continuously, as though mumbling to himself. "My heart tells me that… I'm hurting someone in this way, and… it may be you," he stared at Daphne, as though trying to pass a message to her through his eyes: '_I know you're hurting inside', "or Rylan."

_Daphne could no longer bear to look into his eyes. It was far too painful, that simple little action. She heaved a sigh, then forced herself to match his pleading gaze. "Ian, you do know that I have the power to take away your pain… don't you?"_

_He nodded, swallowing hard. "But…" he shook his head, "you can't make me forget you. You can't." He protested. _

"_No, I can't. But I can help you find peace." She told him calmly. "Peace." _

"_Then… please help me find the way out in this… maze, too." His tone was sad._

_Daphne nodded. "May you find peace, and the way out to all your problems." She whispered._

_Suddenly Ian felt so much better. He had a clearer mind to ponder now. "Thank you," he whispered back. "But… if I really marry Rebecca, will I ever see you again?"_

"_I'm not sure, but I will always be watching over you and Rylan, guiding him, and protecting the both of you." Daphne smiled sadly._

_Relieved and satisfied, Ian turned to leave. As he walked, his shadow became smaller and smaller, then leaving nothing behind. But there was something that he did not know, that Daphne did not tell him. _

_This was his last time he could ever see Daphne again, whether or not he marries Rebecca, unless…_

_Unless he enters the other world too._

* * *

Ian opened his eyes. Instinct told him to. 

Just then, he saw a flash of light that may have been an illusion, if his mind were not this clear. He sat up, startled. What was that he just saw? Could it be that his eyes were playing tricks on him? He doubted so. He trusted his keen sense of sight whole-heartedly. But then, what could it be? A flash of light… probably something that just reflected the moonlight, maybe.

He looked around the room. His gaze then fell upon his designer watch, which was lying on the bed just right beside him. _That must be it… I must have forgotten to take it off before I slept. Perhaps I was just resting my arm against my forehead… and when I woke up, it slipped off my hand._

But something told him it was not so. He was, after all, right-handed. How could the watch end up on the left side of his bed, then?

Shrugging the thought away, it was only then did he realize that there was an acrid, distinctive odour that hung thickly in the air. He tensed, recognizing the smell. A whiff of the heavy smell wafted right under his nose, and immediately, he felt light-headed and all woozy.

_Get a grip, _he told himself sternly as he got out of bed, determined to find out what on earth was going on. But the moment he took a first step, he almost fell flat on his nose.

But it wasn't the gas that did its job, it was an object that was in his way. Squatting, he picked up the cylinder and held it under the moonlight while he examined it. Suddenly, he felt ill as his suspicions were confirmed.

It was a can of chloroform.

TBC...


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Hi I'm back! Hopefully this update was 'soon' enough for you all:) Once again, thanks for reviewing and even bothering to read this story! **InfinityEstel:** Hey there! Are you still alive? LOL. Yeah, you mentioned that I had to update soon or you'll die. Hopefully this is 'soon' enough for you? Anyway... Hmmm... nice guess, but I'm not saying anything. You've just gotta wait. And read. To find out. LOL. Enjoy! **aj:** Thanks:) Hope you like this chapter as well!

**Disclaimer:** As usual.

* * *

Chapter 13

Ian waited patiently.

To a stranger, it may have seemed nice of him to wait patiently, just a normal bridegroom waiting for his beloved bride. But to anyone else who knew Ian, it was not so. Patience was never one of his traits, for his was well-known to be uptight and impatient. Moreover, ever since he had arrived, never once did he even look at his watch for the time. He had been silent, as if mulling over something important.

Well, he had, and he was.

The incident that happened last night was just too… unforgettable. It had triggered off a nerve in him, and anyone who knew him would know that he would never put this matter at the back of his head, not until he got to the bottom of it.

Right now, his whole mind was just focused on this. In fact, throughout this whole day he hadn't been himself at all. He even had to be reminded by Mabel to get ready for his wedding.

Mabel.

He had always wanted to speak to Mabel about it, but somehow, he just couldn't. It was as though something was pulling him back, refraining him from mentioning it to his family.

Family.

Immediately he jolted out of his own thoughts and returned to the real world. For a moment he had actually considered questioning why he was there. Then he remembered.

For the first time that afternoon he looked at his watch. It was already fifteen to eight. Rebecca was more than an hour late and he had just realized it only. And where was Rebecca? It was unlike her to be late. She was always punctual.

Maybe she decided to pull out of it at the very last minute? What if she would not be coming? Ian began to entertain these wild thoughts. Panicking, he dug out his mobile and checked for any new messages or missed calls. Who knows, Rebecca may have tried to contact him while he was in his own world.

Nope. There were none.

_Perhaps it's just the traffic,_ he told himself. _Perhaps her car broke down._ There were just too many 'perhaps' and 'what ifs'.

Just then, a car honked. He whipped his head around, and saw the most radiant face he had ever seen. And stepping out of the passenger's seat was just a ravishing beauty. He tried his best not to gape, and made his eyes appear smaller.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Ian replied, grinning from ear to ear involuntarily. He thought he must look like a fool.

"I'm sorry I'm late." It was the sweetest voice ever heard, or so he thought. "I- I had some... matters to tend to. You aren't mad, are you?"

"No."

"Good. I'll just make it up to you some other time." She breathed down his neck. Her breath smelt like mint.

"A promise?"

"A promise." She smiled flirtatiously.

"So… you came alone? Are your parents coming?" Ian asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah. I told them not to come." She replied. "I told them we wanted some quality time with each other, you know."

"Oh."

"Why? You mean you _want_ them to come?" She seemed a little disappointed.

"Oh, no."

"Good. " She smiled, running her hand over his chest. "So… after this you wanna come over?"

"Uh…how about we talk this later? Let's go in first. It's quite late." Ian suggested uneasily. They were, after all, in public.

"Sure thing." She grinned at him again.

* * *

The church was really quiet, except for the voice of the priest. He was reading all the rules and stuff, though considered not really important, but Ian could not listen. His mind was too occupied with personal thoughts. 

He knew this was supposed to be an emotional and joyful moment. He knew this was supposed to be the happiest day of his life. (Actually, second happiest day of his life, but it does not matter.) But somehow he just could not relax. He was confused, and he seriously doubted this marriage.

"Ian?" Rebecca's voice jolted him out of his own world.

"Huh? What?"

The priest, irritated, repeated his question all over again. "Do you, Ian Wallace, take Rebecca Hunter as your lawfully-wedded wife, promise to protect her and love her for eternity, and till death do you part?"

"I…"

"Ian? Why are you hesitating?" Rebecca's voice sounded in his ear.

"I…"

"Do you, Ian Wallace, take Rebecca Hunter as your lawfully-wedded wife, promise to protect her and love her for eternity, and till death do you part?"

The voices seemed faraway. There was a loud buzzing noise in his ears, as though they were going to pop any second. His hands flew to his ear immediately, trying to shield them from all the noise.

_(Ian…) Do you, Ian Wallace, take Rebecca Hunter as your lawfully-wedded (Ian…) wife, promise to protect her and (Ian…) love her for eternity, and till death do you part? (Ian…)_

The sounds were like thunder to his ears. They were loud and jumbled up. He could make no sense out of them. The buzzing noise in this ears grew louder and louder, till he could take no more of it.

"NO!" He bellowed, slamming his fists on to the table. "STOP IT!"

"What? Stop what, Ian?" The voice seemed to be jeering him, taunting him, leading him on.

Ian breathed in a deep breath. Then he stood up, and with his gaze still fixed upon the table in front of him, he said, "I'm sorry, but I do not wish to marry you."

The utter silence was deafening. Ian's sudden declare left all speechless.

Just then, Rebecca laughed forcefully. "Oh Ian, okay, that certainly was funny. It is April's Fools, all right. Now you may sit down. You definitely surprised us all with that joke of yours. Let's continue, shall we?" Her tone was dubious. She didn't have a clue as to what she was feeling.

"It isn't a joke." Ian's voice degenerated into a whisper, but he still managed to say it firmly.

The smile faded from her face. "You're kidding, aren't you?" Her voice was hard and serious now. She had gone all rigid suddenly. "Tell me, tell me that it's just a joke. Come on, tell me!" She demanded.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. His face was still hidden from view , which was a lucky thing. He wouldn't want her to see his tears. Clenching his fists tightly, he hated himself for breaking her heart. He hated himself for playing with her feelings. He hated himself for being so fickle-minded. But he had no choice.

"What do you mean by 'you're sorry'?" She swallowed. Hard. How could he treat her like that? How could he? How dare he? She was not a toy, and she never will be.

"I cannot marry you. I just cannot. I hope you'll understand. It'll be better this way." He told her softly, then turned to run out of the horrifying place.

"Stop right there."

He halted in his footsteps.

"Tell me why. Tell me why you agreed right there that night, and now…"

Without turning around, he said, "I… I couldn't treat you like a substitute for Daphne. I couldn't. I guess you were right after all. This is going a little too fast. Yes, I love you, but until I'm sure of my feelings for you, that I'm certain I love you truly, I cannot hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want myself to wake up the next day and not love you anymore. I don't want to see you hurt, Rebecca. You must understand. This is best for you, and for me."

"Why." She was crying now.

"Please. You must understand. I'm only doing this all for your sake, and that's because I love you too much to hurt you. I'm really sorry."

Tears flowed down her cheeks, ruining her mascara. How was she ever going to face the world again? She felt humiliated.

After his footsteps died, she got up and ran out too. But she didn't run after him, instead she took a different direction. As she ran, more tears streamed out and she wiped them away. Her pure white gloves were stained now, but she couldn't care less. She could no longer care. There was nothing left in her life. Her love life was ruined, and that meant her whole life was ruined, too. Then what was the point in continuing to live on in this despicable world?

* * *

He was speeding along the road. But he couldn't care. He was ridden with guilt. 

He had let Rebecca down. He had broken her heart. He could never face her again. But all he did, it was the sake for the both of them, wasn't it so? Or was it only what he thought? Did he think wrong? Did he make the wrong move? He didn't know. But even if he did wrong, so what? "Don't cry over spilt milk", was what they always say. It already happened, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Just then, his vision blurred. Was it a fog? It only took him moments to realize that he was actually shedding tears.

Pulling his car up at the front of his house, he got out immediately of the driver's seat and rushed into the house. His mind was only focused on Rylan now.

"Rylan! Where are you?" He called as he ran up the stairs. He checked every single room but found no sign of his son. Then he entered his own study. He was appalled. His study floor was scattered with feathers. It was unsightly.

Something inside him told him to look at the wastepaper basket. He did, and almost broke down into tears once more when he saw the crumpled drawing. He read the note attached to it too.

* * *

_**Dear Papa,**_

_**This is the drawing I drawed in skool today. Miss Roderick said that it is a pawtrayt. (I dont know if I spelled it corectly or not.) I got a A+ for this. I want you to see it.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Rylan**_

* * *

His hand trembled slightly. He was touched, yet heartbroken. 

Then he heard the front door open. He rushed out of the study and ran down the stairs, and was relieved when he saw his dearest flesh-and-blood standing before him, with Mabel. Emotions overtook his usual self, and he hugged his son immediately, sobbing hard. Rylan, shocked, returned his father the embrace.

"Oh Rylan, I'm sorry for everything too." Ian pulled away from him and gripped the boy's shoulders, looking him in the eye.

"Sorry for what? Papa, why are you crying? What happened?" The boy asked, concerned.

Ian shoved the drawing and the paper into the boy's hands. "That," he said, "is a really wonderful drawing. You can draw really well, and I'm sorry that I didn't spare the time to look at this. I was only thinking of work, and Rebecca, and a whole lot of other things, but I just chose to neglect you. I'm really sorry for not taking good care of you. It's all Papa's fault. But don't worry, I promise I'll spend more time with you in the future, starting from this very minute."

"What about Aunt Rebecca?"

"Never mind about her, Rylan. You can forget her. It'll just be the two of us."

"Really?" Rylan smiled. "I didn't like her anyway, so I guess that's good news."

Ian smiled back. "Now can you tell me, how did you manage to draw a picture of your Momma so well when you never saw her before?"

Rylan's smile grew wider. "I did. I saw Momma before. She talked to me when I was sleeping. She said she will protect me. She really talked to me!"

* * *

She ran on, and continued running till she reached the roadside. She flagged down a cab and got in. 

"Miss, where to?"

"Anywhere," she sniffed.

"But… where is anywhere?"

"Anywhere! I don't care where you take me to!" She yelled. "I don't give a damn about it! Just drive on 'til I tell you to stop!"

"But…"

"No buts. Which part of 'drive on' do you not understand? Or shall I speak in Tamil for you?" She retorted. "You shut your big mouth up and just drive! "

The driver drove on, silent, but seething inside. He knew better than to argue with this… creature. She looks just like a mad woman, and who knows she may be one, or behave like one.

Oblivious to her surroundings, she continued crying, her hair wild and her mascara ran, but like she had said, she could not care.

* * *

_I know the truth now  
I know who you are  
And I don't love you anymore_

_Never was and never will be  
You don't know how you betrayed me  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled._

_- Evanescence_

* * *

"Then what did Momma say to you?" 

"Momma told me to be a good boy, to listen to Papa." The young boy beamed. "And I did. I listened to Momma, and to Papa!"

Ian, in tears again, hugged the boy. "Yes, yes! You are a very good boy, Rylan. And I love you!" He cried.

Rylan patted on his Papa's back as he hugged him. "Don't cry, Papa. You are a good boy too. I love you too."

Ian chortled. He was back. His old self was finally back, reunited with Rylan again. He swore never again to abandon his son just for his work. He promised to spend more time with him in the future. And he planned on keeping his promises, never to break them. It was all well finally. In the end. He smiled.

But the moment of peace was shattered when a piercing scream broke it.

Rylan pulled away from the embrace and staggered backwards, gaping and pointing at him. "Papa… I… you…" The horrified look on his face was unforgettable.

"What, Rylan? What?" Ian was panicking already. What had he done to make Rylan be so terrified of him? Was it his looks? He touched his face involuntarily. No, it wasn't disfigured. He looked at the glass window near him and checked his reflection. No, he looked perfectly okay. But then why was Rylan behaving like that?

And then he saw it. And now he wished he didn't.

* * *

TBC...

Oh yes. I'm considering writing a sequel to this story. What do you think? Yes, or no? Do, please, let me know what you think when you review as this story is coming to an end quickly. Yep. Thanks. Hope you all liked the chapter!


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Hey there! School's reopening tomorrow for me... And I'm half-dreading it. Oh wells. I'd have to face it anyway. Hope this update was soon enough... It's nearing the end anyway. This will be the last chapter. Perhaps in the next few days I'll post the Prologue. I'm sorry if the last chapter confused you guys, guess it was meant to be anyway. I don't wanna explain anything now, because I'm hoping that this chapter would do the explanations instead. But if you still do not understand, do let me know in your review and I'll explain it the next time I post! Well.. maybe I'll just clear one confusion: Nothing happened to Ian's face. Yep. It was perfectly all right, just like I had mentioned in the story. Anyway... hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope it answers those burning questions (and not create more):)

Oh yes. I remember asking for opinions about a sequel? What do you guys think? Do let me know as well please! Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** As usual.

* * *

_... It was all well finally. In the end. He smiled._

_But the moment of peace was shattered when a piercing scream broke it._

_Rylan pulled away from the embrace and staggered backwards, gaping and pointing at him. "Papa… I… you…" The horrified look on his face was unforgettable._

_"What, Rylan? What?" Ian was panicking already. What had he done to make Rylan be so terrified of him? Was it his looks? He touched his face involuntarily. No, it wasn't disfigured. He looked at the glass window near him and checked his reflection. No, he looked perfectly okay. But then why was Rylan behaving like that?_

_And then he saw it. And now he wished he didn't..._

* * *

Chapter 14

She sneered maliciously in the glinting light. She loved the way they look. Horrified. It gave her a sense of… achievement. Pride. Satisfaction.

She watched as the older one whirled around, with the gaping mouth. She had a bigger grin. _That's the big fish… the only fish I want. _She turned as she saw the younger one escaping. _Ahh… the small fish. Let him go… he's not the one I want anyway. I don't kill children. _

Brandishing the chopper she held in her hand, she grinned evilly as the older one stuttered, "M-Mabel… what do you think you're doing? Put that down!"

"Do I always have to listen to you?" She snapped, circling him, watching him like a hawk from head to toe. "I'm sick of listening to and obeying your orders!"

"Who are you?" He challenged, instead of answering her question. "You are nothing like the Mabel I knew. Where is she?"

"_I am_ Mabel. Believe or not, it's up to you." She replied, shrugging. "But I'm a _different_ Mabel, you're right. I'm the Mabel who once knew Daphne Dashwood, and has come to take revenge for her death."

"My name, is Mabel Turner. Short for Mabelyn, that is." She continued. "Daphne Dashwood was my cousin, and my best friend. She was one whom I was closest to, and shared my secrets with. And she would still have been alive, if you didn't kill her!" She accused angrily, thrusting the chopper in the direction of him.

"I did not- "

"Don't bother to try to explain further! I know you killed her, Ian Wallace. You killed her, so you could be with that… that Rebecca whatsoever! You killed her… you didn't love her! You only married her just for her money! You chose her to be your victim because she was rich! I knew it! I knew there was something wrong about you, right from the start. I tried to dissuade her from marrying you, but she was just head over heels in love with you. She wouldn't listen to what I'd got to say. And that, I would have gladly took it, but I couldn't imagine YOU would still carry out your plan!

"You are evil… the most evil human on Earth. You are inhuman! She loved you so dearly with all her heart and you still had the heart to kill her! Where's your conscience, Ian Wallace? Hmm? If you didn't love her, then you should not marry her right at the beginning! You should have gone with that Rebecca instead! Then you two can live happily ever after, and Daphne wouldn't have to die!"

"Please, Mabel, listen to me. I can explain. It wasn't like what you imagined, you've got it all wrong! Daphne loved me, and I loved her too. We could be the perfect couple ever, but unfortunately she died during childbirth, do you not understand? I love her too much to kill her." Ian tried desperately to explain.

"Hah!" She snorted. "So now you're blaming in on the poor boy! You are really heartless. I knew you didn't love Daphne, nor Rylan. You thought he was a thorn in the flesh! You hated him for being a burden. You were happy when Daphne died… but you forgot that you still had a son, didn't you? But you couldn't kill him, otherwise you'd arouse suspicion, am I not right?"

"Yes! You are so not right! Please… I love Rylan as much as I love Daphne, don't you understand? Or have your mind been twisted so much till you cannot accept any other explanation anymore?" Ian pleaded.

"Indeed! My mind has been twisted! By whom, you may ask? By you!" She screamed. "You didn't come home often enough to spend time with Rylan. All you had to do was, 'Oh Rylan, Daddy is busy. I'm sorry.' And he'd believe you. You counted on that, didn't you? You relied on his naïve nature! He's so young… yet you kept breaking promises, and at the same time, you broke his heart too! Every night, he waited for you, hoping that you would come home to spend time with him, yet you are always out with that bitch!"

Ian was speechless. Mabel, as crazy she may seem, was right in some way, though. She was right when she said that he broke Rylan's heart. Yes, he had broken many promises, but why didn't it occur to him that he would be hurting the boy too, until now? Why didn't he realize that his son not only needs a mother's love, but a father's too! And yet, he had never expressed his love towards his son. He could not imagine what it was like to be neglected… without both a mother's love and a father's. _He must be really lonely… no wonder he would envy his friends! _

"Speechless, eh? I hit the nail on the head, didn't I? I bet you didn't know, every night he would cry himself to sleep, all alone. I could always hear him sobbing even from where I was sleeping! Sometimes, I would go upstairs and accompany him so that he felt better, but I'm telling you, it's definitely not enough!

"He wants you… do you not know that? But yet you throw him to one side, and rather spend time with that woman instead. Why must you torture him in this way? If you didn't want him, why don't you just put him up for adoption? At least if he finds a good family with nice parents that can shower him with love, care and concern, he can grow up happily, even if they are not rich! You are taking away his freedom from him… why don't you just let him go, if he is such a burden to you?"

"Enough of that! What do you want?" Ian gritted his teeth, as he spat the words out. He was sick of this game. There was she, trying to worm her way in, hoping to poison his mind with all reasons to feel guilty, and then she would attack. It was the typical way in movies too, and he had watched just enough to know what to do. He was not going to let her taunt him further. He wanted her to cut straight to the point. It was enough of beating around the bush already.

"Ahh… I see. You're getting irritated already, aren't you? Straight to the point, I like it. Maybe this is one of the reasons why my cousin loves you so dearly…" She babbled to herself.

"I asked, what do you want?" Ian repeated the question.

"All right, all right." Mabel raised her hands as if to surrender. "I'll tell you."

"Out – with - it." Ian spat the words one by one.

"As you and I both know, you are the one who caused Daphne's death." Mabel explained while examining her chopper in wonder. Before Ian could utter a single protest, she continued, "Look at this. Isn't this beautiful? But what a waste if this shiny smooth blade was stained, wouldn't it be? Hmm?" She turned to Ian, as though asking for his opinion.

But, again, without waiting for an answer, she added, "But no matter how shiny this blade may be, it still has to become dirty, sooner or later? Don't you agree? It's just a matter of time. Otherwise, what's the use of this chopper?"

Fear seized Ian's heart. "What game are you trying to play?" He hissed. He clenched his fists so tightly they were soaked in sweat.

"Game? Hmm… that's a strong word to use, isn't it?" She placed a finger to her lips, and pouted like a young girl. "But I like it." She clapped her hands and jumped excitedly.

Then, remembering Ian's question, she quickly answered, "I'm playing no game. The term is 'revenge'." She shrugged. "Simple as that. Just one plunge with this," she waved the chopper, "into the heart and it's done. Easy, isn't it? Quick and less painful… you see. I'm doing you a great favour here, you know."

"I don't see how." Ian's stare was cold, and his voice was too.

"Ending your life quickly isn't doing you a favour? Don't tell me you want to die a slow, painful death? Well… I wish to do that but I just don't have the time exactly. So count yourself lucky."

"Right. How lucky I am. Do I need to thank you?"

"Well… you don't have to. You can skip the thanks, I only want the heart." She sneered evilly as she advanced towards him, chopper raised high.

With every step she moved towards him, he took a step back in fear. Standing before him was no longer the Mabel he once knew, but instead was a madwoman. Should he run? She would surely give chase. Should he call for help? He had his mobile with him, after all. But no, she would get to him before he could do so. The only thing he must have now was time. He must stall for time if he wanted his life. And how should he go about it?

Talk. Talking, that's right. If only he could keep her talking, she would probably forget about her revenge or whatsoever.

"Wait. I'm gonna die sooner or later, but tell me, what's the secret behind this revenge of yours? I mean, how long did you take to come up with such a plan?"

"Ahh… I was hoping you'd ask." She clapped jovially. "You want to know the time I spent in this? Many, I tell you! I spent many weeks planning carefully; making sure it was foolproof before I stepped into this house as your _servant_." She spat.

"You spent so much effort just for this one day, one moment?" Ian could not help feeling incredulous. But she was a little out in her mind, so there was no question to what she could do.

"Uh-uh." She wiggled her finger proudly as though he had answered a question wrongly in a quiz. "That's where you're wrong, Mr. Wallace. You think I spent such a long time just to think of a little plan like this? You belittle me! I'm far much more efficient that that.

"Have you ever thought of the countless meals you missed? And let me tell you, not only was your oh-so-cute son disappointed, I was too! In fact, I was so much more angry and upset!"

"Y-you tried to… poison ME? You contaminated MY food? And you were the one who planted the can of chloroform in my bedroom?"

"Uh-uh. Wrong again. Well… partially wrong. I didn't plant it there, you know. I actually sprayed it into the room, hoping it would knock you out, and it did, but only for a short while. I thought I could actually kill you in the middle of the night while you're sleeping, but I didn't expect you to wake up so quickly! I just dashed out of the room when you opened your eyes…Okay, so this taught me a lesson. Never to buy that brand of chloroform again!" She muttered angrily to herself. It seemed as though the more she recalled, the angrier she got.

But Ian was not paying attention to her anymore. _So that explains the silvery flash of light I saw… and the can of chloroform…_

"A penny for your thoughts, Mr. Wallace?" Mabel broke into his train of thoughts with a sweet voice. A little too sweet.

"W-What about my watch then? Did you try to steal my watch as well?" He asked, recalling that night when he found his watch.

"What watch? I didn't see any watch. And please, I'm a murderer, not a thief!" She replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, let's get on. This is taking up too much of a time." She continued, taking a step closer to Ian.

Meanwhile, Ian did not see her advancing towards him. He was thinking, thinking about everything. A lot of things had happened in just, what, two hours? And it was too much for him to take in such a short time. Firstly, Rebecca. And now, Mabel. What was going on with the women around him? Or maybe it wasn't them; it was him. Maybe he was the one that has been causing this much trouble. Maybe Mabel was right, that he caused Daphne's death, that he was a jinx.

As Mabel's words slowly brainwashed him in guilt, he surrendered himself to death. _If I were the one who caused all these trouble, then shouldn't I go? Maybe Mabel is right. It's better if I'm gone. Then Daphne wouldn't be so upset, and Rebecca can find another man who is just right for her. And Mabel, she can take her revenge all she wants. Everybody would be happy, wouldn't they? And Rylan… wait. Rylan… would he be happy? _

_No. Perhaps, but he'll be lonely. All alone. With no one to love him. He needs me. He needs someone to love him. Daphne is gone, and I cannot abandon him too. He must not be an orphan. He must not have a broken family. He must have a happy and enjoyable childhood…_

_Yes. I must stay strong, for the sake of my son._

With that, Ian pushed away all his negative thoughts. He would do anything to make Rylan happy, even die for him. But Rylan would want him to stay alive. And so he shall.

He looked up, into a face just centimeters away from his face. A shiny silver blade pressed into his neckline. It drew blood, but he didn't care. His mind was reeling, and that was the only thing he focused on now.

* * *

_It's drawing blood, can't he see that? He must have known, he couldn't possible not have. But why is he ignoring it? _

_He's looking up now. Great. I can't wait to hear him yield to me, but I know he wouldn't. He would surely put up a fight. But I don't mind, as long as he is dead after this. _

_Wait, why is he staring at me like that? Doesn't he know that his end is near? Hold on. He seems to know that. His eyes no longer held the defiance they had just now. It is now replaced with… I can't read it. Is there a tinge of sorrow in them? The gaze… there's just something about them that I-_

_WAIT! I think I see it now. A sign of defeat. Yes, that's it. He looks defeated. But why? I'd thought he'd…_

"_Kill me," he said. _

"_What?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I almost dropped the chopper. _

"_Kill me," he repeated. "You're right. I'm a bad father, I'm a jinx. I brought trouble to everyone, even Daphne. I brought her death. And I cannot let this happen to Rylan, so just kill me."_

_I just stood there, shocked. I knew that this was the time now, the time I'd been waiting for for ages now. But oddly enough, I just could not bring myself to it. I was thinking, searching for an answer, a reason to his behaviour. Before I kill him, I want to know why. Yes, so I've succeeded in brainwashing him, but it was something I thought I never would achieve. Why did he change his mind so quickly? _

_I know it's the time for me to strike, if not, I would lose the chance forever. But something was holding me back. What was it? I don't know, and I don't want to know. _

Strike now_, I thought. Was I starting to feel guilty? No, it can't be. I _never_ feel guilty. Murderers never feel guilty just before they kill their victims, and I will _not _be a special case. _Strike now…

* * *

Ian was astonished. The madwoman before him was actually hesitating to kill him? Did that mean that he still held a chance? _No, she surely couldn't have changed her mind so quickly, no._

But as the seconds ticked by, she still held the chopper in her hand where it was, not wanting to push it any deeper. What is she waiting for, and why? Doesn't she know that right now every single moment, every single second was very precious to her?

His gaze locked with hers and they stared intently at each other, both not moving an inch. Not even a single eyelid twitched. Ian was starting to think that his heartbeat was so loud that she could even hear it.

Blood was seeping out of the wound on his neck as minutes passed. It stained the used-to-be-pure-and-white collar into a crimson red colour. But he took no notice of that. Neither of them dared to even move a single finger, as their gazes challenged one another.

It was as though time stood still at that moment, but obviously it did not. That lone moment was all the policemen outside needed. They charged in with their pistols raised, ordering the maid to surrender both her and her weapons. When no response was received, they decided to take a risk and went towards her, but she made no move. In fact, she did not even put up a struggle when she was dragged away by the officers.

Throughout this whole time, the intense gaze that Ian and Mabel shared never broke, until she was out of his sight and vice versa. He did not even pay the least attention to the paramedics who were tending to his wound. He had also completely forgotten about Rylan.

* * *

As she was being whisked away, only one thing was going through Mabel Turner's mind. It was just two words, simple words, but it was as though they were haunting her.

"_Kill me."_

_TBC..._


	16. Epilogue

**A/N: **Hey! I'm FINALLY back! How's everyone? Did you have a nice April's Fools? XP I sure had fun tricking the teachers at school! ((: Anyway... hope you all still stuck around to read this epilogue... And I hope this will clear any remaining questions up, and not to confuse more! **InfinityEstel: **Here's the very last portion of this story... Hope you enjoy it like you did in the previous parts. :) **hater: **I'm sorry to hear about that, but this is merely a fictional story. I didn't intend to hurt anyone's feelings. Sorry.

Oh yes, I've just begun to write the sequel already. It's titled Twisted, so I hope you all will read and enjoy that one too. I'll post it in a week's time. That's a promise. ((:

**Disclaimer:** As usual

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**Epilogue**

_Where was she? This cloudy, no misty, place… is this what people call Heaven? Was she going to see the gods? Then she would have nothing to fear, would she? She couldn't be banished to hell. After all, she did not kill Wallace; he's still alive. _

_She treaded slowly, looking around. She felt the presence of someone, yet there was no one. It was weird, now that she thought of it. She's not dead… why would she be in Heaven? Reaching up, she touched her cheek and pinched it hard. Funny… it didn't hurt. It was as though every single part of her body had gone numb. This must be a dream. A dream, yet so real. _

_Then she felt it again. The presence; so far, yet so near. She whirled around, thinking that someone was behind her, but again no one was. Shivers ran down her spine, and she rubbed her arms subconsciously. Either it was that the temperature had dropped – which was true – or that she finally had the fear gene._

"_Mabel…" Someone was calling her. She spun on her heels instantaneously, and was greeted by a figure bathed in white light. _

"_Who's there?" She demanded, a hint of fear creeping into her voice._

"_It's me, Mabel. Daphne. Don't you recgonise me anymore?" She heard the voice once again, as the white light started to vanish and the figure slowly became visible to her eyes. _

"_Daphne? B- But how can it be? You're supposed to be dead!" She sputtered, then realized that she was in a dream._

"_Yes, I'm dead. But this is in your dream." Daphne explained, then added hastily. "Mabel, I have something to tell you."_

"_Yes, and I have something to tell you too, Daphne, but let them wait, please? I've not seen you for ages now… a total of what, seven years? I miss you so much…" Tears started trickling down Mabel's face as she allowed herself to be embraced by Daphne._

"_Shh… I missed you too, Mabel. But I've been watching you from up here, protecting you." Daphne cooed, softening when she saw her younger cousin's tears and reconsidered about telling her what she wanted her to know._

"_Really?" The young girl looked up ,tears glistening._

"_Why, of course…" Daphne forced a smile. _Forget it, she _has_ got to tell her cousin about her death anyway._ "But Mabel, I really need to tell you something. About how I died." _

_She swallowed, waiting for Mabel's reactions, but she was only answered with a moment of silence. She continued waiting._

_Then the young girl sniffled. "I'm listening." She whispered._

"_Okay." Daphne breathed a deep breath. "Mabel, I saw everything that happened today. I know what happened, and I just want to say that Ian is right."_

_Immediately the girl pulled away from her, eyes flashing. "And are you trying to insinuate that I am wrong then?" She accused._

"_No! That was not what I meant!" Daphne tried to explain frantically. "I just wanted to say that, well, it's true that I died during childbirth. Ian would never hurt me, much less kill me, you must know that."_

_Mabel was silent, perhaps searching for a response. She was utterly confused. Wasn't Ian the one who caused Daphne's death? How had she gotten her information wrong? What was happening? Things were going terribly wrong!_

"_So," she asked quietly, "do you mean to say that I landed up in a stupid jail cell for nothing?"_

"_Well, yes. I guess you- "_

"_That I wounded your 'to-die-for' husband for nothing too?"_

"_Uh, yes, but- "_

"_And that it is not Ian, but Rylan, who caused your death?"_

"_No, not- "_

"_No?"_

"_Okay, so, well, maybe. You could put it that way but- "_

"_Thanks. That's all I have, and need, to hear." Mabel interrupted with no expression. Then she turned to leave._

"_Wait, Mabel, wait!" The girl, in respect, halted in her footsteps._

"_I just want you to know that, no matter what wrong you have committed, as long as you repent, I will not turn against you. I will continue to love you…" she swallowed, "my dear cousin."_

_Without answering, Mabel picked up her pace again, not turning around. She wanted to get out of that place quickly. She had heard enough, but not one more sentence from Daphne._

"_Please, do not do any more wrong."_

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He sighed as he walked down the stairs, carrying the tray. The keys hung on his belt jingled every step he took. It was his turn again, and he dreaded it. After all, who wouldn't? This duty was hated by every other warden he knew.

He rounded the corner and stopped by the main table. He had to clock in first.

The warden sitting behind the table smirked. "Why, your time for the 'Dog-Feed' again, eh? I could have sworn I last saw you yesterday!" The 'Dog-Feed' was a name given by, who else, but the wardens.

"Yeah," the man replied. "Johnson wasn't here yesterday and I had to cover for him. Today's my turn."

"Ah. Pity you. Good luck anyway, Keppel. Have fun!" The warden yelled after Keppel, and chuckled.

Keppel strode down the narrow aisle quickly. He decided the faster he did this, the less 'torturous' this would be. He neared the first cell, and stopped immediately. He was not prepared for what he saw.

The cell door was ajar, and in it was empty. The lock had been tampered with. He was speechless. But before he had a chance to do anything, he felt a hard 'thump' on his head, and black spots swam before him. Within seconds the tray in his hands clattered to the floor and he did too, though making less noise than the tray did.

Seconds before he blacked out, he managed to catch sight of the name of the escaped occupant that was printed on the cell door. Well, almost though. He wasn't sure if it was Madelyn Burner or something else, but he was certain he did get some of the alphabets right.

Then he lost consciousness.

End

**Just wanna thank all of you again for supporting me throughout this story!**


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